{pretty, happy, funny, real}

I've been reminded once again, of the wild imbalance of the {pretty}, {happy}, {funny} and {real} in my life.

First off, there is a vast profusion of {happy} in it. I won't deny that for a second. But I would like to specify that I prefer to think of it as joy. Happiness is fleeting and found in one's circumstances. Joy is long lasting and in spite of our circumstances. I don't worry too much about happiness anymore. But now I'm splitting hairs...

Second, though the pessimist in me doubts it on a daily basis, I know that if I wait long enough, the {funny} will show up. We are quite good at finding the humour in our lives over here. And if we can't find it, we make it.

As to the {real}, well, I've got that in spades. Maybe too much. I'm always tripping over it.

But the {pretty}...ahhh...she is elusive. Perhaps I'm just too much of a perfectionist (Daria says that's my problem with art appreciation; I expect too much perfection) but I do have a hard time detecting the beauty in my life. Unless I'm looking at my children. And no one but my sisters and mother would really want to see photos of them day after day, week after week.

And I think this week's edition reflects all of that. You'll see what I mean (if you're still reading, that is)...

Pretty

This is probably pretty only to me and only in real life. I could not figure out how to improve the quality of this shot. This is (duh) my kitchen sink. I like the faucet, the tiles, the English tea tins and the Palm Sunday crosses (way up top, you have to look closely) The Viking made for me. I think it's pretty.

Happy

My Mothers' Day gift! I began dropping piano-sized hints about wanting one during Soup Week, specifically after making Tomato Ravioli for the first time. I've been using it to make myself smoothies right in the glass every morning! Less mess! Easier clean up! No more heavy appliances to haul in and out of the cupboard! Hurrah!

Funny

Today, Man-Cub is staging a Crash Course Combat with his vast collection of matchbox cars in the living room. He keeps coming in to update me on the latest crashes and eliminations. I am also called on occasionally to officiate when the judgement is unclear ("If one wheel is off the track, does that disqualify the car?"). I snapped his photo during one update to catch both his excitement and the blue substance stuck to his left cheek.

*Edited to add: it's gum, Drooble's Best Bubble Gum (a Harry Potter product), to be precise.

He figured out what I was doing and began to dodge...

...and the scuffle began...

"I SAID NO COMMENT!"

Real

Redheaded Snippet straining her tea. She is sick at home today. I haven't liked how rundown she's been looking the past few days so when she complained of a terribly sore throat this morning I kept her home. She made herself a cup of Throat Coat tea but in her sickly stupor mistook the dirty mugs in the dishwasher for clean ones. And since she had used the last Throat Coat tea bag, she couldn't make herself a new cup. So she strained it into a clean mug. That's some good tea!

Finally, I figured it was only right that I show you the flash drive I've been using to upload all of these photos. Can't get any more real than this, can it?