When I was younger (and cuter), I used to say, “Well,” all the time. It was a nervous habit, a verbal twitch of sorts. This led my friends to eventually say, “Well, hell, Mel,” which was uproariously funny (okay, mildly amusing) to us. I’d unthinkingly fill in blanks in conversation with “well,” and the rhyming would begin. (My brother always said–without fail–“that’s a deep subject for shallow minds.”)
I also found myself saying too often, “I’m so tired,” especially in my sleep-deprived college days. I didn’t really notice it until people began to mock me. To this day, I can’t say, “I’m so tired,” without being hyper-aware of that phrase.
Well.
I’m so tired.
But I wanted to thank everyone who added themselves to my Frapper map. As of tonight today, there are one hundred and seven fourteen of you. I only wish I could email you each personally to thank you for your comments and for de-lurking long enough to give a shout-out. (And I would have, except that Frapper didn’t include a space for email addresses.) As a former pen-pal, I have to say that having so many distant friends warms my heart.
Sometimes I have nothing more to say than “well,” and “I’m so tired,” but I think of you all staring at your computer screen and I feel this tremendous sense of responsibility to say something. Anything. Preferably something funny and self-disclosing, but not too intimate because what if I ran into you in the grocery store and things were completely awkward because of some far-out (but not groovy) personal confession I’d made?
Well. I’m so tired. So tonight, how about you share something instead? Do you realize the most comments I ever received were in response to my question about ironing blue jeans? How about breaking that record tonight?
Confess your sins. Showcase your talents. Leave a link and we’ll all traipse over and check out your blog and we promise not to leave fingerprints or break glasses.
Speak. One hundred and seven fourteen people await your comments.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
Well…
I’m tired too, and really need to go to bed, but I’m a night owl. Of course night owls get a bad rap because we’re, well, asleep during the day when everyone else is awake.
Any suggestions for helping me switch my inner clock? I’d love to see how the other half lives.
Hey! I just got an idea from my word verification letters. Leave an anagram of your word verification letters…
mine’s oitkox
hmmm….oxo kit?
Maybe not so easy…
I’d love you to come on over and play it at my blog, too:
http://www.momisright.blogspot.com
Get some rest, Mel!
ginabina in honolulu
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Ok, I’ll bite.
Mel is the person that inspired me to begin blogging. We’ve been friends for a long while now even though we are on opposite sides of the country. I’ve not many sins that I’m willing to confess and my biggest quirk is that I’m a perimenapausal woman who doesn’t like chocolate at all. I do like tequila and wine though 🙂
I’m 6 weeks into remodeling an older home that my husband and I purchased and 2 days from moving into that home. I tell of my remodeling progress and how “tired I am.”
I also write about birth and rarely write about how I view religion and politics.
I can be found at http://lifeslaundry.blogs.com
Come on over –
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Thanks for the map. I found something amazing. Toni lives in the same small Northern Wyoming town I grew up in. You might be saying “big deal.” It’s Cowley, Wyoming. Ever heard of it? What are the odds! It was fun to see all those virtual push pins in the map. Thanks, Mel.
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I’m about to become a first time Grandma! I am so excited. There are pictures of the little guy on my blog of him at the end of the 6th month. The detail is amazing.
I’ve always been younger than I am today, so becoming a Grandma is new territory for me.
I make stuff. Lots of stuff. Then, I do nothing with it. That is the sin I am confessing today.
LikeLike
I’ve read your blog for quite a while now and always look forward to it.I guess I’ll take you up on this chance to delurk. I’ve only just come out of the shadows.
You don’t always have to have some thought-provoking,profound thing to say to keep me coming back,although you often do. I just enjoy hearing how you handle the day-to-day with all your children sometimes. It helps me to know that I’m not the only one picking up socks and dirty dishes.
I have 5 sons. 4 still at home and am a single parent. I am trying to finish my bachelors degree. It seems like a never ending journey sometimes. I’m tired too. Your blog really has been a blessing and encouragment to me. Thanks.
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Sins: Not posting my location on Mel’s Frapper thing. I’m too paranoid. But I will confess that I live in Alabama.
Talents: Currently I seem to have a knack for annoying my kids. Is that a talent?
Link: http://www.chewymom.com
And how about my goal in life: To be as good, honest, funny, and popular of a blogger as Mel! 🙂
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I wish I owned a Carl the dog.
Just so I can eat my cereal in peace. Even feeding the fish seems like too much responsibitity some days.
http://www.crankenpants.blogspot.com
LikeLike
I love the map, and I added myself! I’m new to blogging, and this is my first visit here, but I’ll be back!!!
I say “well” and “um” way too much. I’m always tired so I don’t even bother saying it any more! 🙂
My verification word is gprvk. I don’t think you can do anything with that!! LOL!
http://www.happynap.blogspot.com/
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Howdy!
I’m Bonnie from Georgia. My DH and I are adopting from China… in fact we leave in 5 days!!! WOOHOO
So check out my blog after 11/6 to see a teary face momma and a spectacularly sweet little girl finally getting her forever family!
http://www.blsthomas.blogspot.com
LikeLike
well..I’m tired.
I hail from oregon and you can find me dribbling in my dishpan at Dishpan Dribble. Just click on my name and it will take you to my world. I just posted a rewrite of the night before christmas in which I tell of my experience with a mouse. Come read all about it.
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Well…
I’m tired too, and really need to go to bed, but I’m a night owl. Of course night owls get a bad rap because we’re, well, asleep during the day when everyone else is awake.
Any suggestions for helping me switch my inner clock? I’d love to see how the other half lives.
Hey! I just got an idea from my word verification letters. Leave an anagram of your word verification letters…
mine’s oitkox
hmmm….oxo kit?
Maybe not so easy…
I’d love you to come on over and play it at my blog, too:
http://www.momisright.blogspot.com
Get some rest, Mel!
ginabina in honolulu
LikeLike
I think one of the reasons I like your blog is because you, like my favorite author Anne Lamott, can be frank and funny about real and chronic frustrations and that sort of thing.
“Confess your sins.”
That would take too long.
“Showcase your talents. Leave a link.”
Two at once! http://mp-dulcimer.com/blog/
I play hammered dulcimer.
I’ve also got a more personal blog at http://irksomegirl.blogspot.com
I’m not sure whether I want to move it to the dulcimer site, maintain it, or stop it.
LikeLike
Ok, I’ll bite.
Mel is the person that inspired me to begin blogging. We’ve been friends for a long while now even though we are on opposite sides of the country. I’ve not many sins that I’m willing to confess and my biggest quirk is that I’m a perimenapausal woman who doesn’t like chocolate at all. I do like tequila and wine though 🙂
I’m 6 weeks into remodeling an older home that my husband and I purchased and 2 days from moving into that home. I tell of my remodeling progress and how “tired I am.”
I also write about birth and rarely write about how I view religion and politics.
I can be found at http://lifeslaundry.blogs.com
Come on over –
LikeLike
I visit a lot of blogs. I really enjoy reading so I guess that’s how that happened. I’m a homeschooling mom ‘o five in CA. I don’t have a blog, but I have a Watkins business of my own with a web site: http://www.tsginfo.com (enter code MR6296). I like blogs that post regularly; it’s like visiting with a friend (at my convenience of course!)
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I try to read your blog every day–and I’ve linked to it on my site. I think I told you that my husband is a minister, too. I don’t write about that fact often, but it certainly does impact the way I see things. I like to blog about my 2 yr old, but he’s not the only thing I talk about. I promise.
http://www.surcie.typepad.com
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I forgot what I was suppose to write…something about confessions. You wouldn’t want my filthy heathen self to taint your blog 😉
I followed you to Blogger after leaving Tripod after leaving AOLjournals after having a brief stint at Open Diary.
I read often but don’t always comment because I am literarily challenged and someone has typically said what I was thinking anyway.
I have a blog at http://www.thatreallytallgirl.com
and notice I get a lot of hits from your blogroll…no one leaves comments…thinking I am either boring or offensive or average and no one cares to waste their time typing in the word verification,lol. But I wanted to say thank you for ‘rolling me 🙂
BTW…my word verification is:
qistobxs: Quist (generic brand of 7-up)…Box of Quist
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Mel, You have plenty of inspring words for many posts and it’s ok to sometimes feel like you have nothing to say. At least you posted something! I find myself often saying “And so…” when it doesn’t really need to be said, but I want to fill in a gap in a conversation, especially over the phone.
You can find my blog at http://jmeg.typepad.com I used to be at singforjoy.blogharbor.com
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First, I read your blog almost everyday. Like a PP said, it is like visiting with a friend. Although we’ve never met. And we are unlikely ever to meet. It’s still cool.
Wanna know a deep, dark secret? When I grow up, I want to live in a house by the ocean with lilacs that bloom all year round, too. Only I want curly hair. Curly red hair. Ha.
Thanks, Mel, for the tip on adding a photo to my profile. My very new, still-drying-its-wings-in-the-sunlight blog is up at gosduck.blogspot.com
I hope someday it grows up into a blog as cool as yours.
LikeLike
Mel, Sometimes I get tired just reading your blog. I try to remember the years I had kids at home and know that I didn’t cope anywhere near as well as you do.
Here’s a confession. Two weeks ago my laptop died with a serious hardware failure and I fell apart emotionally. I didn’t want to send it to IBM, but noone local could fix it, so I ended up sending it in for a new mother board and a new harddrive. It was hard to let it go with the DHL driver, even though it wasn’t working.
I’m still suffering disorientation and significant life disruption as I load software and try to get the repaired machine configured.
Normally I’m a calm and happy person. I’m still thinking about how attached I am to my laptop. That can’t be a good thing. Can it?
When life is going along normally, meaning with a functional laptop, I have a knitting blog where I also write about family, dogs, and nature.
http://stitchesofviolet.blogspot.com/
LikeLike
Thanks for the map. I found something amazing. Toni lives in the same small Northern Wyoming town I grew up in. You might be saying “big deal.” It’s Cowley, Wyoming. Ever heard of it? What are the odds! It was fun to see all those virtual push pins in the map. Thanks, Mel.
LikeLike
I’m about to become a first time Grandma! I am so excited. There are pictures of the little guy on my blog of him at the end of the 6th month. The detail is amazing.
I’ve always been younger than I am today, so becoming a Grandma is new territory for me.
I make stuff. Lots of stuff. Then, I do nothing with it. That is the sin I am confessing today.
LikeLike
I’ve read your blog for quite a while now and always look forward to it.I guess I’ll take you up on this chance to delurk. I’ve only just come out of the shadows.
You don’t always have to have some thought-provoking,profound thing to say to keep me coming back,although you often do. I just enjoy hearing how you handle the day-to-day with all your children sometimes. It helps me to know that I’m not the only one picking up socks and dirty dishes.
I have 5 sons. 4 still at home and am a single parent. I am trying to finish my bachelors degree. It seems like a never ending journey sometimes. I’m tired too. Your blog really has been a blessing and encouragment to me. Thanks.
LikeLike
Sins: Not posting my location on Mel’s Frapper thing. I’m too paranoid. But I will confess that I live in Alabama.
Talents: Currently I seem to have a knack for annoying my kids. Is that a talent?
Link: http://www.chewymom.com
And how about my goal in life: To be as good, honest, funny, and popular of a blogger as Mel! 🙂
LikeLike
I wish I owned a Carl the dog.
Just so I can eat my cereal in peace. Even feeding the fish seems like too much responsibitity some days.
http://www.crankenpants.blogspot.com
LikeLike
I love the map, and I added myself! I’m new to blogging, and this is my first visit here, but I’ll be back!!!
I say “well” and “um” way too much. I’m always tired so I don’t even bother saying it any more! 🙂
My verification word is gprvk. I don’t think you can do anything with that!! LOL!
http://www.happynap.blogspot.com/
LikeLike
Howdy!
I’m Bonnie from Georgia. My DH and I are adopting from China… in fact we leave in 5 days!!! WOOHOO
So check out my blog after 11/6 to see a teary face momma and a spectacularly sweet little girl finally getting her forever family!
http://www.blsthomas.blogspot.com
LikeLike
Well, I was thinking. Ironing blue jeans would make me really tired. I don’t think I’ll try it.
LikeLike
My confession…while it’s not “well” or “I’m so tired”, I tend to fill in the conversational blanks with “like”. Much more annoying than yours, I know. So, like, thanks for putting yourself on my Frappr map.
http://www.gimh.blogspot.com
LikeLike
well..I’m tired.
I hail from oregon and you can find me dribbling in my dishpan at Dishpan Dribble. Just click on my name and it will take you to my world. I just posted a rewrite of the night before christmas in which I tell of my experience with a mouse. Come read all about it.
LikeLike
I think one of the reasons I like your blog is because you, like my favorite author Anne Lamott, can be frank and funny about real and chronic frustrations and that sort of thing.
“Confess your sins.”
That would take too long.
“Showcase your talents. Leave a link.”
Two at once! http://mp-dulcimer.com/blog/
I play hammered dulcimer.
I’ve also got a more personal blog at http://irksomegirl.blogspot.com
I’m not sure whether I want to move it to the dulcimer site, maintain it, or stop it.
LikeLike
I visit a lot of blogs. I really enjoy reading so I guess that’s how that happened. I’m a homeschooling mom ‘o five in CA. I don’t have a blog, but I have a Watkins business of my own with a web site: http://www.tsginfo.com (enter code MR6296). I like blogs that post regularly; it’s like visiting with a friend (at my convenience of course!)
LikeLike
You are one of few blogs that I read every day. I confess that you have also created my new obssession with the Duggar family so I must thank you for the link. I blog on livejournal so I feel like the “odd woman out”
My problem is that I can never come up with so many interesting entries, so I am not as regular.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/jackintheridge/
Karri
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and I’m so tired too! I’m not really up for confessing any sins, but I will tell you the phrase people use that drives me insane. “That goes without saying” Then why say it to begin with and then why say you didn’t have to say it!!! I love reading your blog. I grew up in a pastor’s home but my mom was nothing like you are. We were never allowed to go to movies, for one. I often think about what it would have been like to have had a mom like you. although, I do have a great mom and I love her dearly. I just don’t think she was as easy going as you are. I think you’re a great mom, wife and blogger and I enjoy your movie reviews so I know which ones to see and which ones to stay away from.
LikeLike
I try to read your blog every day–and I’ve linked to it on my site. I think I told you that my husband is a minister, too. I don’t write about that fact often, but it certainly does impact the way I see things. I like to blog about my 2 yr old, but he’s not the only thing I talk about. I promise.
http://www.surcie.typepad.com
LikeLike
I forgot what I was suppose to write…something about confessions. You wouldn’t want my filthy heathen self to taint your blog 😉
I followed you to Blogger after leaving Tripod after leaving AOLjournals after having a brief stint at Open Diary.
I read often but don’t always comment because I am literarily challenged and someone has typically said what I was thinking anyway.
I have a blog at http://www.thatreallytallgirl.com
and notice I get a lot of hits from your blogroll…no one leaves comments…thinking I am either boring or offensive or average and no one cares to waste their time typing in the word verification,lol. But I wanted to say thank you for ‘rolling me 🙂
BTW…my word verification is:
qistobxs: Quist (generic brand of 7-up)…Box of Quist
LikeLike
Mel, You have plenty of inspring words for many posts and it’s ok to sometimes feel like you have nothing to say. At least you posted something! I find myself often saying “And so…” when it doesn’t really need to be said, but I want to fill in a gap in a conversation, especially over the phone.
You can find my blog at http://jmeg.typepad.com I used to be at singforjoy.blogharbor.com
LikeLike
First, I read your blog almost everyday. Like a PP said, it is like visiting with a friend. Although we’ve never met. And we are unlikely ever to meet. It’s still cool.
Wanna know a deep, dark secret? When I grow up, I want to live in a house by the ocean with lilacs that bloom all year round, too. Only I want curly hair. Curly red hair. Ha.
Thanks, Mel, for the tip on adding a photo to my profile. My very new, still-drying-its-wings-in-the-sunlight blog is up at gosduck.blogspot.com
I hope someday it grows up into a blog as cool as yours.
LikeLike
Mel, Sometimes I get tired just reading your blog. I try to remember the years I had kids at home and know that I didn’t cope anywhere near as well as you do.
Here’s a confession. Two weeks ago my laptop died with a serious hardware failure and I fell apart emotionally. I didn’t want to send it to IBM, but noone local could fix it, so I ended up sending it in for a new mother board and a new harddrive. It was hard to let it go with the DHL driver, even though it wasn’t working.
I’m still suffering disorientation and significant life disruption as I load software and try to get the repaired machine configured.
Normally I’m a calm and happy person. I’m still thinking about how attached I am to my laptop. That can’t be a good thing. Can it?
When life is going along normally, meaning with a functional laptop, I have a knitting blog where I also write about family, dogs, and nature.
http://stitchesofviolet.blogspot.com/
LikeLike
Well, I was thinking. Ironing blue jeans would make me really tired. I don’t think I’ll try it.
LikeLike
My confession…while it’s not “well” or “I’m so tired”, I tend to fill in the conversational blanks with “like”. Much more annoying than yours, I know. So, like, thanks for putting yourself on my Frappr map.
http://www.gimh.blogspot.com
LikeLike
You are one of few blogs that I read every day. I confess that you have also created my new obssession with the Duggar family so I must thank you for the link. I blog on livejournal so I feel like the “odd woman out”
My problem is that I can never come up with so many interesting entries, so I am not as regular.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/jackintheridge/
Karri
LikeLike
and I’m so tired too! I’m not really up for confessing any sins, but I will tell you the phrase people use that drives me insane. “That goes without saying” Then why say it to begin with and then why say you didn’t have to say it!!! I love reading your blog. I grew up in a pastor’s home but my mom was nothing like you are. We were never allowed to go to movies, for one. I often think about what it would have been like to have had a mom like you. although, I do have a great mom and I love her dearly. I just don’t think she was as easy going as you are. I think you’re a great mom, wife and blogger and I enjoy your movie reviews so I know which ones to see and which ones to stay away from.
LikeLike
I have been tagging along with you since I found you via,~ whitty, smug, even a little arrogent at time comments, on the Sep 02′ boards. I didn’t always agree with you or at times dare I say it even “like” you, But you are an inspiring and incredible writer and this blog has made me “see” past your at time shocking posts/confrontations on the board and now enjoy your talents and you.
~ Oh and I know it kills you to read improper sentence structures and misspellings so I will now go back to my hole 😉
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Confess something? I don’t think so…:)
I will say that I find myself saying, “I’m so tired” a boring amount of times.
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I have been tagging along with you since I found you via,~ whitty, smug, even a little arrogent at time comments, on the Sep 02′ boards. I didn’t always agree with you or at times dare I say it even “like” you, But you are an inspiring and incredible writer and this blog has made me “see” past your at time shocking posts/confrontations on the board and now enjoy your talents and you.
~ Oh and I know it kills you to read improper sentence structures and misspellings so I will now go back to my hole 😉
LikeLike
Confess something? I don’t think so…:)
I will say that I find myself saying, “I’m so tired” a boring amount of times.
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My body is rarely tired. My mind is always tired.
I don’t iron jeans, but I did, years ago.
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My body is rarely tired. My mind is always tired.
I don’t iron jeans, but I did, years ago.
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If I confessed my sins then somebody would definately ‘flag’ your blog. So I shall just say that I don’t always know what to say and that’s why I’ve never commented before. My talents…are on my blog.
Thanks for the prodding!
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Only posting “anonymous” because I can’t for the life of me find where I wrote down my blogger password. Sigh. So there’s my confession, my computer room is a huge disaster with barely a trail on which to walk from the door to the chair.
I’ve started blogging again, but my entries so far are coming about once every 10 days. I’ll send you to my new one when I have more than 4 posts in it!
HellTygr aka Brianne!
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If I confessed my sins then somebody would definately ‘flag’ your blog. So I shall just say that I don’t always know what to say and that’s why I’ve never commented before. My talents…are on my blog.
Thanks for the prodding!
LikeLike
Only posting “anonymous” because I can’t for the life of me find where I wrote down my blogger password. Sigh. So there’s my confession, my computer room is a huge disaster with barely a trail on which to walk from the door to the chair.
I’ve started blogging again, but my entries so far are coming about once every 10 days. I’ll send you to my new one when I have more than 4 posts in it!
HellTygr aka Brianne!
LikeLike
Ok, here goes!
I’m delurking for the second time to say hello, and how much I love your blog, Mel! Your’s is my favorite, and you were definitely my inspiration to get a blog of my own! I love your humor, but most of all I love how real you are about life. You don’t try to sugar-coat it like so many other pastor-affiliated people I know. (And I just about died laughing about doling out the mustard!)
I just got a blog recently, but I’ll warn you, it’s mostly a bunch of sentimental drivel about my recent break-up punctuated by rare instances of humor. So read at your own risk. Mel, I’ve tried to Blogroll you, but alas, I can’t seem to get the wretched thing to work! (If you have any tips, feel free to come by and leave a comment!)
Oh yes, confessions.
I go to a Bible-thumping University.
I am studying to be a clinical psychologist.
At Bible-thumping University, we have to sign a contract saying we will not drink, lust, or envy, among other things. I’ve already had a sip of the Devil’s Brew, although I’ve only been here two and a half months. (We won’t comment on the other two. ;-))
Now that I’ve potentially scared away almost everyone, my blog is: fairmaidofdevon.blogspot.com I’d love to see you there!
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Ok, here goes!
I’m delurking for the second time to say hello, and how much I love your blog, Mel! Your’s is my favorite, and you were definitely my inspiration to get a blog of my own! I love your humor, but most of all I love how real you are about life. You don’t try to sugar-coat it like so many other pastor-affiliated people I know. (And I just about died laughing about doling out the mustard!)
I just got a blog recently, but I’ll warn you, it’s mostly a bunch of sentimental drivel about my recent break-up punctuated by rare instances of humor. So read at your own risk. Mel, I’ve tried to Blogroll you, but alas, I can’t seem to get the wretched thing to work! (If you have any tips, feel free to come by and leave a comment!)
Oh yes, confessions.
I go to a Bible-thumping University.
I am studying to be a clinical psychologist.
At Bible-thumping University, we have to sign a contract saying we will not drink, lust, or envy, among other things. I’ve already had a sip of the Devil’s Brew, although I’ve only been here two and a half months. (We won’t comment on the other two. ;-))
Now that I’ve potentially scared away almost everyone, my blog is: fairmaidofdevon.blogspot.com I’d love to see you there!
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recent sins: Letting my four week old cry while I paused to devour a TastyCake. Hiding in the bathroom while same four week old cried so his Dad would have to change him and I could steal a few more minutes for myself.
talents: eating and hiding, apparently… 🙂
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i hardly ever comment on other people’s blogs. i always think i sound stupid, i’m afraid i’ll misspell something obvious, and i, too, think someone else has already said what i wanted to say.
but i am disappointed that my own blog isn’t sprouting comments…
a confession? i can’t make plants live in dirt. everything dies – aloe, jades, cactus, tomatoes, you name it, i’ve killed it. but in water; in a plastic cup, a childhood art project, or an ugly chipped mug full of aquarium gravel; i have a very green (soggy) thumb.
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recent sins: Letting my four week old cry while I paused to devour a TastyCake. Hiding in the bathroom while same four week old cried so his Dad would have to change him and I could steal a few more minutes for myself.
talents: eating and hiding, apparently… 🙂
LikeLike
i hardly ever comment on other people’s blogs. i always think i sound stupid, i’m afraid i’ll misspell something obvious, and i, too, think someone else has already said what i wanted to say.
but i am disappointed that my own blog isn’t sprouting comments…
a confession? i can’t make plants live in dirt. everything dies – aloe, jades, cactus, tomatoes, you name it, i’ve killed it. but in water; in a plastic cup, a childhood art project, or an ugly chipped mug full of aquarium gravel; i have a very green (soggy) thumb.
LikeLike