CSA Radishes

Pretty, aren't they? We got our first CSA basket yesterday overflowing with Chinese cabbage, romaine lettuce, bok choy, green onions and these beautiful babies. I've never been a big radish fan but these were like vegetable candy. Will ate a slice of one with some ranch dressing and said it left the best taste in his mouth.

Hello Earth, it's good to eat close to you!

Afternoon with a rock star...

I know a rock star. To be more specific, my awesome nephew by marriage is a rock star. David Linaburg, guitarist for the college tour of J.Cole – Grammy nominated artist, played at UK last night for their spring concert. How awesome is that? And to make David feel completely at home during his three hour break between set-up and show, the Mathewsies showed him the best of Lexington life.

First, Mary Rollins and I picked him up from his hotel, drove him to Orange Leaf and we had frozen yogurt. In spite of living in New York, David had never experienced self-serve frozen yogurt. David pointed out that you probably have to live in a clean city to have something like self-serve frozen yogurt. Good point!

Why look, Will's had a tremendous growth spurt as
evidenced here with man in black, David.

We tracked down Will at home where he was busy burning his own microwave popcorn (he was full of self-sufficiency yesterday – see previous post) and let David see our old Kentucky home for 5 minutes, hug Will and be accosted by some Jack Russell Terriers. Then, Mary Rollins, David and I got back into the car to deliver her to the Opera House of a last minute blocking of Cinderella. He saw all the important landmarks of downtown Lexington: Transylvania University, Gratz Park, Christ Church Cathedral (twice).

Afterward, I took David, past my office (wow, you work above Starbucks) and stopped in to meet Marc at Charlie Brown’s on Euclid where we had a bottle of Kentucky Ale and everyone’s favorite Kentucky treat, beer cheese. Marc was meeting a CPA/attorney friend of ours at Charlie Brown’s that he’s trying to coerce into taking over as church treasurer when his term ends. Kenton was undoubtedly impressed with our rock star connections. I think we all enjoyed David’s stories about living on a bus with thirteen people and becoming fluent in hip-hop. He claims that he only understands it but can’t actually speak it.

David was a great sport shadowing me in my mom activities. He even offered to help me grocery shop! And, after his drinks and conversation at Charlie Brown’s, he indicated some interest in pursuing a future in public accounting if he ever makes a career change from music. He’d make an excellent accountant.

Next time David comes to town though, I want to take a turn shadowing him as the rock star.

We love you David Linaburg!! Thanks for spending your precious few hours of break with us!

Candy sandwiches

Lexington Ballet’s Cinderella began this morning with a first school show at 10 a.m. Mary Rollins had to be at the Opera House by 8:15 am so my normal morning routine was a bit off. I didn’t go to the gym so that I would be ready for the earlier than normal trip downtown but my schedule wouldn’t be so off that I couldn’t be home in time to resume my regular morning Will activities.


Will typically rises at some time between 8 and 8:15. His morning includes dressing and some laying about on the couch snuggling with Howie and then having a breakfast that I fix while I also make his lunch. MR fixed her own by the time she was Will’s age but I don’t mind fixing Will’s lunch as I have a bit more control of what he eats. In truth, I guess I don’t really think that Will’s capable of successfully making a healthy lunch for himself. And, another part of me figures he has the rest of his life to make his own lunches so I’m happy to pack his school-day meal.

As I was driving home from the Opera House ready to switch into Will gear, I was talking in depth to a client about Jessamine County property values. Will was calling in but I couldn’t get to his call. I didn’t worry as I was only a few minutes from home. Pulling into the driveway, there was Will putting down the garage door, climbing onto his bike and heading off to school, on his own. This, the boy I had left asleep in the bed twenty-five minutes before.

“Will, what about your lunch?” I called.

“I made it myself. See you!” and like that, he was off.

Good heavens, what did that boy make for lunch? I thought first that we had Peeps left from Easter and perhaps he made his own version of chicken salad out of them.

But, there on the counter was an open pack of cheddar cheese slices and an open bag of bread. There was a missing banana, and the drawer with baggies was open and my sack of used grocery bags was laying on the floor. There was also an open box of frosted mini-wheats on the counter so clearly he had even made his own breakfast! I’m so proud and only a little sad that Will doesn’t need me to get himself off to school.

He only needs me to clean up afterwards.

More real estate stories...

One day I'm going to write for you all the true story of how I became a Realtor. Seriously, I did not ever think, "when I grow up I want to be a Realtor." It happened in a more organic kind of way. However, my grandmother, along with being an attorney, was a real estate agent so perhaps it was there in my blood all along.

Although, I never aspired to be a Realtor until February 8, 2005, I haven't ever regretted the decision. Why? Because I'm never bored. I may have days that are frustrating but I never, ever have boring days. And, I never have the same day twice!

For example, it's not every job where you can have learning moments like this:

A buyer-client called me yesterday to tell me that she had seen a for-sale-by-owner home on line that interested her. I call the owner after finding the on-line listing myself to see if I can set up a time for a showing today. The owner says, "well...you see, that might not work. My soon-to-be ex-husband is still living in the house with a guy friend of his and he doesn't know that I'm trying to sell the house. So, I guess I'd better tell him that I think we should sell it. How about if I call you back?"

I don't know about you, but I think I can see one of the problems in their marriage.

Note to self for both best marriage practices and home-selling: Never try to sell your house without telling your spouse.

A Book Review: Born Wicked

Living with young people, I find myself often reading Young Adult literature. Truthfully, when it's well-written I really like the genre as a whole and read YA books just because they're fun. I read the Harry Potter books, for example, ages before my kids were ready for them. I suspect I'll be reading YA books when my children are grown-up (which feels like it might be next week at the rate time seems to fly by...but I digress).

Recently, the first installment of a new YA book series fell into my hands courtesy of the Blogher Bookclub. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood is a story of three young witches living in New England in the late 19th Century. The US, in which they live, is not that of our history but one run with religious fervor by a Taliban-style Brotherhood who fear the uprising of witches. Young women are forced to declare their intentions at age 16 either to marry or join The Sisterhood--a convent of seemingly pious women who serve and support the men of the Brotherhood. Women live in constant fear of being named witches and sentenced to an asylum or labor on a prison boat without the ceremony of a trial.

Cate Cahill and her two sisters Tess and Maura are motherless teenagers whose father, still grief-stricken over the death of his wife years before, has abandoned his children to the care of servants and their own devices. Cate, the eldest and our narrator, was charged on her mother's deathbed with the protection of her younger sisters. The three girls also happen to be witches. As Cate approaches the age of intention she worries what the future holds for her sisters who have difficulty restraining their magic if she marries and is forced to move from her family home.

Oh, what tangled webs! If I rated this book on my personal Twilight (1) to Harry Potter (10) scale of young adult fiction, I’ll give this book a 7. I passed it on to Mary Rollins who is reading away at it – it has lots of romance, a bit of mystery, a good-sized helping of magic and a pinch of The Scarlet Letter. It doesn’t have any vampires which I find wonderfully refreshing. And, now I’m waiting expectantly on the edge for Book 2.
Just so you know, I was compensated for writing this review for the Blogher Book Club. The opinions, though, are entirely my own. Always are, always will be.

Cooper River Bridge Run

Here we are making our 5th consecutive Cooper River Bridge. Some of us we're really happy with our times, some of us...not so much.

Three of us finished in the top 10,000.