Al on my mind

I love this guy. He's my best friend's husband, a navy guy, marksman, IT genius, superdad, and all-around mensch. He looks a little like Fred Astaire and fills a room with his presence, even though he's only a little taller than I am. He's lean, wiry, runs 4 miles a day, has a quick smile, and doesn't take shit off of anyone.

I was thinking about him this am, because he once said 'every house needs a staging area.' The irony is that his house does not have any such discernible feature--his and K's house is immaculate--and with 3 young boys, I don't know how they pull it off.

Actually, I do. Al is a navy guy, and he likes his stuff squared away. So it is.

Meanwhile, my whole house is a staging area. Despite my best efforts, IEPs, toys, bills, and other flotsam of our lives start in the dining room, trail across the foyer, into the living room, and office (where Nic's elevators take over), family room, mud room, back into the kitchen, thus we have come full circle.

Upstairs? That's where we run everything and shut the door if anyone comes over.

So, bringing this around to my point--for 2009, I want a STAGING AREA. Not a STAGING HOUSE. Organization. Simplification. All Zen. All the time.

(Now the reality--my multiple hats and responsibilities may not work well with this. But Al does as much--if not more--than I do).

I think a bottle of Aquavit may make him spill his secrets... :)