The Shoe Scheme

I saw Sex and the City 2 today. It was a disappointment - maybe not as colossally bad as the reviews made it sound, but still pretty plotless and not nearly as smart or witty as the series or the first movie. But, I'm a fan, so I enjoyed every shallow and gorgeous minute.

It also rekindled my suppressed desire to own a pair of really expensive coutoure Blahnik or Louboutin shoes. Anyone who knows me knows I really, really love shoes. Like these patent Mary Janes, which I could wear to work:

Or these, which I most definitely could not:

However, if you know me, you also know I am far too practical to ever spend $600 on a pair of shoes. Ever. Last year, I won an unexpected $650 dollars for a project at work, and after seriously flirting with the idea of buying a pair of the mary janes (really, I would probably wear them for decades so on a per-wear basis they would be a smart investment), bought a new dishwasher instead. I think of those shoes every time I load and unload the dishwasher.

I've finally realized that the shoe fairy or some besotten secret admirer is not going to magically gift the shoes. So, I've hatched a scheme. I'm going to sell random stuff on eBay - good stuff that I would normally give to Goodwill - and when I hit $600 I'm heading to Neiman Marcus. I came home and tossed the house - so far I've found a Pentax camera body (film - a classic that all photography students use), some old Nikon lenses, a bottle of Chanel No. 5 that just makes me smell like an old lady, Lily's Bob early reader books (sets 1-5, like new), some Kiehl's Silk Groom (used just once) that makes my hair look greasy, and a brand new doctor-grade stethoscope (where did that come from?). When I hit $600, the shoes are mine. Unless the washing machine breaks.

The Great State of Long %^&$ing Island

With apologies to my family and friends on Long Island, but this clip is hysterical. State food: the Flounder. I do want to say, though, that those guys disappear the further east you go on the Island. Although I think my mom might have dated one of their dads. ;-)

(Also, Mom, warning, there's cursing but it's bleeped out.)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Long Island Wants to Secede
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

A Certain Logic

Lily: Gina's mommy is having twins!
Deb: Is she excited?
Lily: Yes. Is her mommy having boys or girls?
Deb: I think it's too early for the doctor to tell.
Lily: How can the doctor tell?
Deb: Well, the doctor takes a picture, kind of like an x-ray, and then can tell whether the babies are girls or boys.
Lily: By their hairstyles?

More Chincoteague Photos

Wild ponies on Assateague.

Assateague lighthouse.

Near Berlin, MD.

Chincoteague

Despite an almost complete lack of planning, our annual May weekend getaway was great fun. We went to Chincoteague Island off the coast of Virginia, home to the Assateague Island National Seashore and the wild Chincoteague ponies made famous by Marguerite Henry's 1947 children's book Misty of Chincoteague. Perfect weather the whole time. The island seems laid back - the season doesn't really start until next weekend. The scenery reminds me very much of home (the North Fork of LI).

We arrived Friday night, and after a dinner of crab soup and oysters (a recurring theme) followed by delicious homemade ice cream at the Island Creamery (also a recurring theme), made it to our hotel, the Refuge Inn. The hotel is right next to the bridge to Assateague, and has an indoor pool and its own herd of Chincoteague ponies.

Lunch at Woody's BBQ. No crab soup, unfortunately.

This is a see saw!

No measly pony ride for Lily. She took a 30 minute pony riding lesson at the Chincoteague Pony Center, home of Misty descendants and a gift shop of all things pony. Her horse was named Teaguer. Lily did really well - learned to steer (is that the right word?) the pony, start, stop, and even trot, which elicited huge giggles. But she wouldn't kick him to make him go faster, even though we promised it wouldn't hurt him.

The finale. Lily has pronounced that she wants to ride a horse every day, loves Teaguer and misses him already, and wants to be a farmer so she can have a horse. I fear we have just unleashed an expensive hobby.

Post-lesson pink ribbon, and stuffed pony to ease the pain of having to say goodbye to Teaguer.

We spent the afternoon at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, and Lily actually went in the ocean. In May. Brrr. While Michael and Lily explored the beach, I engaged in one of my all-time favorite activities - an hour dozing on the sunny but chilly beach snuggled in a blanket and listening to the crashing waves.

This actually was not a reaction to getting yet another photo taken.

Pizza (and crab soup) for dinner, then miniature golf. Lily's style is more akin to field hockey.

Surprise! We learned that Lily can swim. She's been taking lessons but the parents aren't allowed to watch.

Michael showing Lily how to squirt water with your fists.

Please, please come home with me!

On Sunday we took a slow drive back home through the Eastern Shore, stopping at little towns here and there. And, we managed to stop at our favorite restaurant on Kent Island for crab soup and Lily's annual feeding of the ducks.

More photos are on flickr. And later in the week I'll post some of the better scenery shots.