what's luv

My handlebars are gummy and they crumble off and stick to my hands like tar.

***

I opened at the winery today and while I was cutting lemons in the kitchen Greg strode in purposefully as always and said, "There's one on the patio, did you see that?  He looks lonely."

I guess he did, so I poured him an iced tea and after a brief unsuccessful search for refill bar napkins I went out and asked him where he's from.  He asked my name and told me his middle name is Clair and then we talked about name heritage, and I ended up asking what he does.  His reply was, "What do I do?  Ha.  I'd like to see you guess."

I kind of hate guessing, but I thought for a second and suddenly it came to me: "A writer?"

"Yes, I am a writer!  I actually just submitted an article to a journal...  If that will give you any further hints."

Turns out he is a sociologist, and his article is about collegial relationships, and he found that the value of said relationships comes from the time colleagues spend focusing on the relationship itself and not the transactional nature of the relationship.

Hear, hear.

I love my job.

***

Yesterday I was in such a funk, for some unknown reason seeing as it was the only night this week I didn't do something stupid like run around 'til all hours, drinking a little more than I probably should have, hanging out with new friends until 2:30 in the morning and then getting up with Ann at 6:45 and working all day...  But by the time I got to the library and checked my email I could hardly process all the messages I had waiting for me.

And then Spencer messaged me.  For those of you who don't know, he's the catalyst for my realization that love and heartbreak is a big damn deal.  He's the one I've been hung up on for at least two years now.  He's incredible, and maddening, and utterly terrible for me at least at this point in my life.  He's the one that really drives home how irrational caring for someone can be, and how it's never cut and dry.  As much as I don't ever want to fall out of touch with him I don't think we have much to say to each other right now, and apparently I'm still angry about the way things turned out.

Only when I talk to him, though.  The rest of the time, my life is finally starting to be about me again.  I mean it.

***

The police chief's neighbor kids were manning a lemonade stand when I got home.  Now, I have entrepreneurial tendencies, and let me tell you how much I love and respect lemonade stands.  That is the #1 local business I like to support, and the #1 candidate for my first business investment if I ever have any cash lying around.  Plus, I just love lemonade!

The business angel (Mom) smiled at me as I leaned my bike gently in the gutter to make the transaction.  "You just moved in at the end of the street?" she asked.  "I see you and your friend riding your bikes all the time.  Do you work downtown?"

I love small towns.  I love our neighborhood.

***

We invited The Boys (which is getting confusing now that Isaac and William are supposed to show up any minute now, but apparently haven't left Northfield yet) over for strawberry shortcake.  The biscuits were fresh and from scratch and the strawberries got smushed in the plastic bag on the way back from the farmer's market last weekend.  But smushed strawberries make the best sauce.  They were tart and fresh and sweet and delightful.

Ann and I were running around the house wearing more clothes than usual singing "What's Luv" when the boys showed up at the door, and I couldn't have been more pumped to see the three of their faces poking around the doorjamb -- especially since they originally tried to just walk right in.  I love having walk-in friends.  Much better than a walk-in closet!

And they like fun!  We had a high school night, running around the park, swinging on the monkey bars.  We've started a list of fun things to do, which they're into: tubing on the Apple River, hiking and swimming in Interstate Park, mini golfing up on 8, going to see Harry Potter in the theater at midnight, playing Cranium, setting fireworks and playing glow-in-the-dark frisbee...

I love how we can just call them up and say, "Come over," and they're there.

***

I haven't been keeping up with the tuna.

List Cont'd
6. Tuna roll
7. Tuna sauce over biscuits
8. Surf-n-turf

We love tuna.

And Greek yogurt.

And Roll-with-the-Punches granola, and the boy at the co-op who let both Ann and I buy exactly the 1/2 cup of wheat germ we needed to make it.

What are we supposed to use wheat germ for?!