The Coffee Pot

The coffee pot sits in the room,
with all the knifes, forks, and steel spoons
It waits in the morning
for when we stop snoring
to perform its one job of the day

Like thunder it rumbles then rains
and fills our mugs with brown-black stains
We forgive it quite quick
though our teeth might yell, "Quit!"
but we can't go without the tart taste

Its belly groans with roaring glee
while it mixes the water and beans
then it starts feeding
with drips and drops speeding
to fill our ears with morning's cue

-Mae Cousin

Oh Miles...I doo doo love you.

Ok, will my husband like me posting this? Will Miles? Who knows. But I have to. Because it's just so funny. Miles has this obsession with Will's underpants...and...he has taken notice to a new opportunity that comes about twice a day for long enough periods of time for a pretty solid cat nap. Yes, our kittens habit might be a tad awkward for Will... but Miles is quick to arrive at the first sound of the toilet lid being lifted. Frankly, Will probably gets alittle bored waiting around anyway. There's not much more to say. See for yourselves.

Over due

Reunited! My brother's close friend/roommate from high school was found living in Tucson! While Kei roomed with Erik at Interlochen he became close friends with the Jorgensen's and joined us for Christmas, birthdays, and Jen's wedding. Seeing dear Kei was long over due but upon realizing a Jorgensen was now an hour and a half away we planned a fun filled day and exchanged introductions of the special someones in our lives. I gave my congrats and approval of his sweet love, Tori (I should have met her sooner; such a sweetheart) and Kei assured me that letting Will put a ring on my finger was an excellent choice:) (I couldn't agree more) I haven't had enough of Erik this year so to have alittle taste of a big brother figure for a day was so much fun. Kei and Tori took the short (very short) tour of Will and my love nest apartment and we toured them around old town Scottsdale. After a big lunch it was time to get FaNcY! Kei raised the bar for Will and I a bit by gifting us with seats to the Phoenix Oprah, with whom he is the assistant conductor. (By the way, Kei and Tori are both highly gifted in music; Kei is a successful conductor who has conducted around the world and Tori is a student majoring in flute performance). Anyway, dressed to the nines, we went to La Boheme with Phoenix's finest. We thoroughly enjoyed our debut to the Oprah however, the old man beside me apparently couldn't get through it without several trips for bourbon to knock him out. But, I applaud him for giving his wife a ritzy evening out to wear her sequins and pashmina. I have a feeling that their were numerous husbands in similar situations... While Will enjoyed the experience and appreciate alittle culture, I think the next concert we attend may be jazz or something in English. Don't be mistaken, we really did enjoy the performance and the introduction to this traditional art form. Since we had an "in" we put on our imaginary V.I.P. passes to congratulate the cast and get a glimpse of behind the scenes of the pit and set. Although I don't compare next to Kei and Tori, I felt like I was in my spot next to Will explaining when the orchestra was tuning and which strings were which. I have been trying to pick up my violin more and being around strings was definitely a motivator. However, I won't be doing any playing around those people. eek! So after lunch, old fashioned sundaes, the Oprah, we closed the day near midnight with a quick cocktail and bite before our two friends made the quick drive back. We have plans to go to Tucson this weekend and see Kei conduct and Tori flute! It's good to have orchestral music back in my life and I'm excited to share more of it with Will. I have a few pictures but unfortunately we couldn't find a photographer so there's not one altogether. Also, as much as a wanted a picture of us all "posh" at the Oprah-I thought it might be scream "rooky" alittle too much. :) But let's just say it was a close contest between Will's good lookin' and what was going on up stage. www.kharada.com - URL to Kei's professional website. Check it out!

Trick or Truth

It's true that when your a child you believe everything you hear. I think about all the things my siblings told me and they STILL influence my thinking at the age of 22. When you are a wide-eye, innocent, little kid you take in everything with such wonderment and amazement that it would all be ruined if you second-guessed the world. While I miss that state of mind, I'm glad I can mostly decipher the difference. However, I'm still trying to tag some things that Jenny, Erik, and my dad told me as truth or trick. I think all babies of the family can relate. Below is a list of some of the wisdom my siblings and dad instilled in me while I was wide-eyed with curiosity. Although they may be tricks, I still get a smile when I request no mushrooms. -Mushrooms are the fungus found in between old men's toes. -Deodorant is meant to be put behind your ears. -At the school computer lab they give you shots. (computer lab/doctor lab-get it?) -Cotton balls taste like Marshmallows -I have an Indian Uncle named Huka-muka-huka. -If you sneeze with your eyes open your eyeballs pop out. -They only allow so many rat hairs in a can of tuna. -Bloody Mary lives in the downstairs bathroom. -The old man down the street killed his wife. -If you don't step off the escalator in time it will suck you under. -You're adopted. -If you get fingernail polish on your skin, it will stay their forever. -If you eat foil all your organs will implode. -There's worm eggs on the tip of markers

Burn after reading

My sister and I took a different approach to high school than Erik did. We left behind no legend, no names on walls, minor awards, and quiet spirits. As opposed to Erik, our names are probably not known among the upcoming students and teacher's won't recognize our faces in Target. However, we did leave behind the most important success and we knew it was crucial to this achievement that we remain as much a part of the wood work as possible. This is a talent that feeds off silence and trickery. Sacrafices must be made and friends cannot. At most, only one other person can be involved. You can trust no one when in action. I have two words for you. GYM. CLASS. Jenny can probably tell you the exact amount of gum that was stuck under bleacher number 15 during the years of 1997-2000 during lap runs. I can tell the miticulous steps to take to accomplish swimming sessions/tests without 1, getting your hair wet and 2, without actually swimming. Running the dreaded mile? Be sure to bring extra popsicle sticks or whatever the gym class before you used to count laps. Sit up test? You're golden going with a few less then the class average so you will show improvement when you actually do record the class avg. next test. I've got many, many more baby. Those aren't even the best. Anyway, my hatred for gym class is tri-fold. Here are a few reasons: *For the music students "early bird gym" began at 6:15. Therefore, I was going to gym class when it was still dark and the temp at not hit the high of 0 yet. *My first and nearly only, D came from gym. This was before "the talent" was crafted. *Fitting a schoolbag, a violin, AND a giant gym bag in a locker was near impossible. Add a locker partner freshman year and we're talkin' tears. I still need to apologize to my locker neighbor for contortding the sides of my locker so that his would no longer open. All for gym. *Revealing the deformed, bird-like, strucutre of one's run is nothing to be revealed in a room filled with teenage peers. That's just cruel. However, the number one reason my gym-dodging talent was so accomplished was because my body and mind lacked what athletes must relay on: coordination. All four of my limbs do different things when confronted with physical activity. It's interesting really and I have not had to re-realize this for a good four years. Then, I decided it was our Arizonian duty to climb a mountain. It did not take Will long to soon discover that one eye...and hand on me was best if we wanted to get home with all limbs, noses, and digits intact. Will and Amanda were desert monkeys, of course. Regardless of the awakwardness, the scenery was GORGEOUS and it was good to get some fresh air.

Hubby lovin'

"I want people to look at me like they look at my dad and Grandpa Cousin." -Will Cousin This made my knees weak. I love Will's value, love, and respect for his family. What a husband.

Ode to Miles

I'm typing as my sweet little kitty endures his second full day of recovery from his surgical procedure that will forever keep him from pursuing adolescence and manhood. I felt exceptionally selfish as I dropped my kitten off at the spay and neuter clinic so I could be assured that come spring, he will only have the desire to stay with his mama on the porch instead of running off to pursue the scent of a little betty. However, its comparable to the human relationship of mama and son... of course on a different level. While it's much more sweet natured than human/kitty... it's a similar concept. Do mama's not try to hold dear to their son's when the son begins to take notice of fluttering eyelashes, with their homemade breads, perfectly tucked sheets, and cash flow? I believe so. Therefore, I feel the procedure was justified and I'm glad I have at least 15 years before I may possibly need to learn how to make homemade bread. While I waited with sweaty palms to pick Miles up from the doc, I made a few stops to find what get-well soon presents I could find. Since kitten's are lactose-intolerant my favorite after surgery treat, milkshakes, were not much of an option. He hasn't taken any notice to his new tunnel and catnip but I'm hoping it's due to medication influence. I also do need to say, that while vets are not any fun- I was questioning which situation Miles would prefer as a women in an electric wheelchair with her cat in the front basket, the cat dressed in a cat parka (complete with fur hood), rode the halls of petsmart comparing fake mice. Hmm... Here's what Miles has been up to lately. I must note that those are not clean dishes in the dishwasher and we usually do not have Will's underwear on the bed. So- our dishes our clean when you come over (not cat infested) and our apt. IS clean. Home from the hospital and apparently very glad to be snuggling with blue elephant again.