All The Best

I wish you all the best, my friends. May the Lord bring you much love and many blessings in 2011.

Happy New Year!

Here's the thing...

I'm busy. How busy am I?

I'm so busy that I'm writing the same post on both blogs.

I'm so busy I forgot to laugh.

I'm so busy that no matter how much I accomplish in a day, my to-do list still seems to be getting longer. 

I'm so busy sometimes I forget to pee.

I'm so busy that breakfast is at noon and lunch is at four.

I'm so busy at work that the chaos at home is like a vacation.

I'm so busy at home that my only alone time is when I'm in the bathroom.

I'm so busy I can't even see the roses, how the heck am I supposed to smell them?

Friends, I have not been ignoring your emails. I just haven't had much time in front of the computer. I'm trying, I really am. I'm getting there, little by little. Please don't give up on me.

What Not To Say

I am the epitome of awkward. Today I wore a pink polo with a dark gray knee length A-line skirt and a light gray and white striped 3/4 sleeve cardigan and patent leather sling backs. It sounds better than it looked. I should not be allowed to dress myself.

But the real kicker is what I said this evening at my dear friend's shindig. Oh no, the embarrassing awkwardness shall not be repeated. If you would like to know what not to say in any social situation, I can help. Send your inquiries to ayorata[at]gmail .com.

(I'm sorry I don't have the new WWII up. I'll try to post it tomorrow. Wednesday kind of snuck up on me.)

World Ethics Commission

My daughter could be the Chairwoman of the World Ethics Commission. Her qualifications? She is the reigning authority on what is and isn't fair.

"Mom, it's not fair that Jacob doesn't have to take a nap."


"...Katelyn, does that sound fair?"   "Yes, mom, that sounds fair."

"It's not fair that I have to clean the whole thing, Jacob is the one who played with the legos."

"Sure mom, one cookie sounds fair."

"He's leaving it there? It's not fair that he's just leaving it there!"

She's also a good whistleblower.

"Dad gave me gum."

"Jacob took my book."

"Dad gave me a cookie."

"Jacob won't give me the barbie."

"Dad gave me chocolate."

Direct your ethics questions to ayorata @ gmail . com

Romantic My Foot

If you are under the false impression that line drying clothes is this beautiful act that connects you to some old time lifestyle, think again. It's a highly romanticized idea - to see your sheets sway in the breeze, sunlight glowing through their fibers. The truth is, if you live in the tropics, it's an uncomfortable ugly activity.

Sweat beading all over you. Insects creeping in the grass and crawling through the trees. Blinding sunlight burning straight through your brain.

Hang the clothes. Put another load in the washer. Keep an eye on the clouds. Do some housework. Look at the clouds. Check for dryness - not quite. Check the clouds for signs of rain. Hang up the next load. Keep an eye on the clouds. Go inside to grab your next load. Stop to pee first - hear the rain. Rain?! Rush outside to pull down the clothes. Sweat. Rain. Heat. Bring the clothes in - hang them on chairs, couches, stools. Look outside and notice that the rain has stopped and the sun is in full force. Shake your fist in the air. Gather the damp articles and hang them back on the line. Keep an eye on the clouds.

(You can purchase my jams and other handmade items at the Brilliant Star Holiday Bazaar this Sunday at the Multipurpose Center from 9am-5pm.  Mango Jam, Pineapple Jam, Papaya Preserves, Guava Jam, Tangerine Marmalade, jam gift sets, coconut oil infused with ylang ylang, totes, aprons, ajinoMOTO Racing T-shirts. Please come to the bazaar to support our local crafters and artists and pick up some great holiday gifts.)