Where you'll find me

Today my 2 new swivel/rocker wicker chairs with red cushions were delivered. They are now on my back porch, and I just couldn't resist trying one of them out this afternoon. I decided I could even WRITE while out there, so I did. Ahhh, what a combo!

So if you want to find me, look on my back porch.

Maybe not

I have been contemplating changing my blog name to "Writermom." I decided I should see if that site already existed, and yep, it does. And it's absolutely pathetic. I don't know if it's a joke, hoax, or real. But there seems to be only one post from July 2001, so who knows. (The post, called "I think I'm drowning," goes on about being a mom who used to be a writer and being depressed to descriptions of the "writermom" and her husband getting high on cocaine. Yikes!)

So I guess I'll stick to tvmitchum. It's safer--and won't get me thrown in jail!

driving with a 15-year-old

Okay, being the intrepid mom of a 15-year-old, I decided it was time to take Mary out for a driving lesson. Since she'd already had three behind-the-wheel lessons with her driver's ed instructor, I felt it was probably a safe thing to do. (Yes, her instructor has repeatedly told her that she needs LOTS of practice, but I wasn't planning to have her do anything risky.)

We started out in neighborhoods where she got lots of practice stopping and making turns--especially right turns which the instructor specifically said she needed help doing. We also had to watch for people taking evening walks. We then ventured out of neighborhoods onto more well-traveled streets (but not TOO well-traveled) and then back into other neighborhoods. Eventually, we drove on a 4-lane street and turned into Hallbrook, a very posh subdivision with wide streets with tree-lined medians. At one yield intersection, I told her to turn left. She proceeded past the median, and as we were about to cross the other side of the street, I noticed in very clear view a large SUV coming closer to MY side. I told her to STOP, then GO. Actually, I'm not sure what I said. But thankfully, the SUV slammed on the brakes, and we sailed through the intersection. Mary said the bushes were in her way. I don't remember how I responded, but she did meekly say she was sorry.

Luckily, as we headed home, there were no more incidences. I did, however, decide maybe I should have a little glass of wine. (Jim is away on business.) But when I got into Jim's stash and found a corked bottle, I realized the cork was on a bit too tight for me to get out. And if I did get it out, I might not get it back in to Jim's satisfaction, so I put it away.

I think I'm going to take a bath now.

My very first post!

Inspired by my two older kids--and my writer friends, I'm now embarking on a new way to comment on my life.

I've just spent a few hours hanging out with my husband and 15-year-old on our two blue couches. We watched a telling documentary on a first-time Black-American sixth grade teacher in a 99 percent Black-American Atlanta middle school. It took her a full semester to figure out she had to know her students outside the classroom to understand why they weren't performing to their potential. Take-away: there's always a back story worth pursuing and understanding.

Today is Father's Day. Mary and I are making a peach pie for Jim. I will attempt to make a crust CLOSE to the pie crust QUEEN, Inis Mitchum Gillihan. Of course, I will come no where close. But at least I will attempt...and enjoy the "tasting" research of how to make a better crust the next time!