Tuesday, November 25, 2008

One Word Answers

One Word Answers...what could be easier... Mom on the run passed this on. Check out her blog if you get a chance! If you want to play, do a post on your blog. Let me know in the comment section that you answered the "One Word Answers." I'll come by and visit you.

Not as easy as you might think. You can only type one word, on each line. Here's my One Word Answers:

Where is your cell phone? Missing
Where is your significant other? Work
Your hair? Brown
Your mother? Crazy
Your father? Funny
Your favorite thing? Cupcakes
Your dream last night? Scary
Your dream/goal? Happiness
The room you're in? Family
Your fear? Peas
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Hawaii
Where were you last night? Dance
What you're not? Mean
Muffins? Please!
One of your wish list items? Money
Where you grew up? Midwest
The last thing you did? Cooked
What are you wearing? Clothes
Your TV? Old
Your pet? Dogs
Your computer? Apple
Your life? Beautiful
Your mood? Content
Missing someone? Always
Your car? PAID
Something you're not wearing? Surprise
Your summer? Lazy
Love someone? Forever
Your favorite color? Blue
When is the last time you laughed? Now
Last time you cried? Yesterday

Ready, set, go! And HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Turkey?


Imagine this....

There is a three year old little boy that I watch and he likes to help me cook. I was moving the 20lb Tom Turkey (I call all our Turkey's Tom) from the big freezer to the kitchen freezer. 20lbs seems to get heavier as I get older. Anyway....as I picked up the TURKEY my little helper said "That's a big CHICKEN!"

I laughed and said, "This is the Tom Turkey that we will be having for Thanksgiving.

He said, "I like CHICKEN!"

So I explained all about Thanksgiving and TURKEY and I'm just talking my fool head off when my little helper quietly asked, "Who's Tom?"

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Why get vaccinated

Influenza ("flu"), that's why!!! I have Diabetes. It's a fact that I've tried several times without success to argue with my doctors. Who among us wants to admit that we have anything wrong, let alone a chronic disease. So this year I finally gave in and admitted that I have Diabetes and received the Flu vaccine. And to boot I had each member of our children still living at home get the vaccine to!!

I have to give it to them!! They argued with me that they were not at risk. I heard all the excuses that a mom could hear about not getting a shot. But, when my family realized that it was not only them that I was concerned with but the fact that as a person with Diabetes the "FLU" can be potentially fatal to someone like me, they took it in the arm with no harm!!

Thank you to my family for taking it in the arm with no harm! I love you guys!!! You were very brave and I love you for thinking of me and am happy that you are protected against the "FLU"!!!

I see love and thoughtfulness in my families future!!!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Mr. Nobody

It seems there is a Mr. Nobody that moved in when our kids were born. He is hardly noticeable. In fact I haven't talked about him for quite sometime, until recently that is....

He likes to play games....

When the children were little he used to hide their shoes and toys and boy did he love to hide the binkies! Oh and I forgot....he used to love to hide the bottles, especially the ones that were freshly made.

As the kids got older he would hide library books and hats, always just one glove and my personal favorite....my checkbook.

Recently he has revived this game and is now hiding my daughters ballet shoes or her leotard or our son's baseball equipment. Sometimes our son is just missing a bat and sometimes he's just missing the whole darn bag. And boy oh boy does he love to hide their socks!

But lately things have changed and Mr. Nobody has started antagonizing my saintly husband and myself.

Why just the other day he hid my saintly husbands keys and his blackberry. We positioned ourselves strategically all over the house and proceeded to call that blackberry several times in the hopes that we would hear it playing its little tune.

As for me....well....lets just say Mr. Nobody likes the way I make my coffee....I find that cup of mojo all over the place!

Ahhhhh yes....Mr. Nobody.....What memories he brings back and it would seem he's out to make new ones! How I missed that guy!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Today is Veteran's Day. It's a day when we should remember the Men and Women who have served our country.

The difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day


Memorial Day honors service members who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.


To all Veterans.... "Thank you for your courage, thank you for your sacrifice, and thank you for standing up when your nation needed you most!"

Monday, November 10, 2008

The "IT's"

Have you ever wondered what the top five things tweens and teens say are? I think I have some ideas.

5. The phone is ringing.....(apparently we haven't taught them how to answer the house phone)

4. My room IS clean.....I don't know what that other stuff is (by "stuff" they mean their shoes, clothes, backpacks, pillows, books, basically anything that would need to be picked up and put away)

3. I can't find....(insert anything here because they can't find anything)

2. Do I have any clean.....(again insert anything here because there comes a point where it's hard to determine whether or not their clean let alone their clothes.

and the number one saying for our tween and teen.....

I don't see "IT"!

Now let me clarify "IT". "IT" could be anything that you ask them to get for you or for themselves. Like the milk in the refrigerator or toilet paper for the bathroom or their toothbrush. Today I will be scouring the house for the list of "IT'S" that could not be located this weekend. Apparently you have to have the title of MOMMY to locate the "IT'S". Kinda like having super powers or magic.....The "IT'S" can only be summoned by the MOMMY. So today I will pretend that I am a superhero and use my special powers to find the "IT'S".

I see a superhero costume with the letter "M" on the front, and perhaps an invisible plane in my future!!

Friday, November 7, 2008

One Dark Night

Following is a story that my daughter wrote for a school assignment. I'm pretty proud of my kids and hope that the love of writing stays with them forever! Her work has not been edited or altered in any way and has only been copied with her permission! Hope she doesn't sue me later in life!

I was walking back to my house and I noticed someone following me. I kept thinking about what my mom had told me always keep my head up and looking around, so no one would following me but like any other teenager I don't listen much. So I just kept on walking down the street looking at all the candy that I had gotten from trick or treating that night. My house was just around the corner. Not to far I thought, I thought that I should race myself to the house. On your mark, get set, GO! I dashed off into the darkness thump, thump, on the porch getting ready to go into the house and wait I must be in the wrong house. I walk outside right address. So I walk in again, Mom Dad, are you here I hear a voice in the house Honey I think someone is here! I'll get the door cried a little boy nobody's there cried the little boy. Yes I am can't you see me? The little boy shut the door right in my face. I was so shocked by the way he treated me I closed my eyes and screamed my lungs out, when I opened my eyes I had found myself in my bed in my room it was only a dream. I sighed in relief. I will never admire candy like that ever again.

The End

Now, my daughter is only 11 but I think that it's the cutiest thing that she has warned me already that teenagers don't listen. Now with the right editor I think she could be a hit!!

I believe I see book signings in my daughter's future!!!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

What do you know for sure?

Humans are ambitious and rational and proud. And we don't fall in line with people who don't respect us and who we don't believe have our best interests at heart. We are willing to follow leaders, but only to the extent that we believe they call on our best, not our worst.

As told to Mamie Healey



John Francis, on Silence

After witnessing an oil spill in San Francisco Bay in 1971, Francis thought about how one person can make a difference. His talks with neighbors about his decision to stop using motorized vehicles often turned into arguments. "I decided to give my town a gift of my silence, to not speak for one day," he says. "I started learning things—the first was that I hadn't been listening." He chose to be silent for a year—and then 16 more. In 1982 Francis founded Planetwalk to raise awareness of environmental issues.

When I didn't speak, it allowed a more intimate communication. People let me touch them. I could tap them on the shoulder. I could grab their hand and write a word on their palm. I could physically move them to see something.

Silence is a practice. You don't just think, "Oh, I got it now."

You don't need words to say "I love you." My family and I communicated all the things we needed to when I was silent.

As told to Jack Otter



Anywhere the struggle is great, the level of ingenuity and inventiveness is high.

We spend most of our lives cutting down our ambitions because the world has told us to think small. Dreams express what your soul is telling you, so as crazy as your dream might seem—even to you—I don't care: You have to let that out.

As told to Tish Durkin


Tony Bennett, on Other People

I was going through a terrible divorce, and my personal life was a mess. I goofed so bad. That Christmas I was in a hotel room by myself. It was the first time I'd ever spent the holidays away from family. All of a sudden, I heard some music. I opened the door to find one of the greatest surprises of my life: There was a choir singing "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever." My friend Duke Ellington, who happened to be in town for a concert, had heard I was alone. So he sent a choir for me. For years this kindness from Duke lifted up my whole life. It showed me that no matter how bad things seem, there are always people in this world who care about others. That revelation changed my life.


I see a clear day in my future!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

A Part of History

WOW!! What a night!! Regardless of who you voted for (and please don't continue reading if you didn't vote for that is just WRONG! Unless you're not of legal age!) it was history in the making!!

I wondered as the night wore on what it must have felt like to hear JFK or Martin Luther King. Do you stop and realize that no matter what your politics.......history is being made. These are the moments that will be written and talked about.

Obama told a crowd of more than 100,000 in Chicago’s Grant Park. “Even as we celebrate tonight we know that the challenges tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century,”

Calling Obama "my president," McCain vowed to work with him to help repair a nation facing profound challenges at home and abroad.

"These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face," McCain said.

After booing Obama's name and offering a few jeers, the crowd came to recognize the history in the evening when McCain paid tribute to the nation's first black president by recalling his own favorite commander-in-chief.

"A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters," McCain recalled. "America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States."

These are the moments that you remember where you were when you heard that U.S. President Elect Senator Barack Obama would be our 44th President.

I watched with my 14 year old son and my 11 year old daughter and asked them how they felt about what they were hearing and how they thought they would have voted. I asked if they understood the significance of the moment regardless of who won.

My daughter said "Like when 9-11 happened?"

My son said "I was in school when that happened."

As I listened to their conversation that continued about 9-11, I thought, wow... two of the people that I love the most do get it.

And I realized that I was watching history being made.....my history....the moment that my children would talk about to their children.

Yep what a night!

This morning Bush called Obama's win an "impressive victory" and said it represented strides "toward a more perfect Union." He said the choice of Obama was "a triumph of the American story, a testament to hard work, optimism and faith in the enduring promise of our nation."

I see change in our country's future!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Presidential Election 08

So it's finally arrived!! All I can say is "Please get out and Vote!" Exercise your rights! My saintly husband and I voted early this morning and were not at all surprised to find the line wrapped around the building and a traffic jam that would put the playoffs to shame! It was a welcome sight!!!

We hope that this is the scene for every polling place today!!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Flat Tire

Guess what I woke up to this morning?

Yep....a flat tire.....

I believe that my vehicle is trying to tell me to give it a rest! I don't understand because it's not like we do that much.....

Carpool, Dance, Doctors, Dentist, Eye Appointments, Birthday Parties, Library, Grocery Store, Target (for a new Swifter), Thrift Store (for drop offs), Post Office (Stamps), Gas, Drug Store (for Drugs) .....nope we're not busy at all.....

I see a new tire in somebody's future.....

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Tomatos

Look at these beauties! Your viewing home grown tomato's from my neighbors garden! Yep that's right.....I said NEIGHBORS!!!! Because as I have blogged previously, the squirrels have robbed our garden of any. But thankfully they have left the neighbors garden alone. Now as I have stated before, I am certain these squirrels are using me for their entertainment. And here's the proof!! Just look at all of those!! The neighbors were kind enough to share with us and these were extras!!!! They even have peppers...

Ahhhh, heavy sigh.....

I think I will make them something yummy as a thank you for sharing. And as for those squirrels....well let's just say I have something in mind for them as well.

I see something squirrel y in my future.

Monday, October 6, 2008

The Swifter


How many Swifters does it take to clean a kitchen? ONE! And mine is dead.

I own the biggest collection of Swifter products in this town. I'm sure of it. But is it too much to ask that they work when I need them? I love and I mean LOVE my Swifter Vac but it died a horrible terrible death that ended with a big poof of smoke.

Now I got this little gem for Mother's day this last May so I most certainly did not expect it to give out so soon. And I just keep staring at it hoping that it will come back to life somehow. Now I could go get a new one but this little guy was a gift from my beautiful adoring children. They like to surprise me with these precious gifts so that I will have an easier time picking up after them.

Apparently I have forgotten where I put the "real broom". You know the one that has bristles on it and a handle. The one that made an appearance in the movie "The Wizard of Oz". I think my kids actually thought I rode that thing a time or two. But I will have to survive without either one for now until I make a trek to my local Target unless...... The Swifter Wet Jet will double as the broom. Now that's thinking!

I see a new Swifter product in my future!!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Ahhh October

Ahhh Beautiful October! Don't you just love October? Pumpkins and yummy fall comfort foods....the leaves changing on the trees and the rustle of the leaves as they chase each other down the street. The sound of children playing outside that you can now hear because the temp is perfect for open windows.....

Don't be fooled....this is the official month of the beginning of all of the holiday seasons and first up we have....HALLOWEEN!!!! Yep Halloween purchases started a month ago and I'm already behind because commercialism has a months advance on all holidays. My new neighbors however started dressing their house for the season as soon as products were available. They have scarecrows, blackbirds, mums, pumpkins and graveyard markers in their yard.

Now I love to decorate and I hate being behind but this year is a financial nightmare for most of us and I have come up with a plan to decorate without spending any $$$$.

First up a scarecrow.....simple...my saintly husbands overalls (he has several pairs, he's a country boy at heart) and a hunting shirt stuffed with the dead grass clippings from the mower and whatever our lab has dug up in the backyard. Now this has the potential to smell so we will strategically place him downwind.

Second...blackbirds....easy...I will throw bird food on the roof and wait for them to come. Of course this may cause a riot with the other birds but that's just a chance we'll have to take. I think Ms. Martha Stewart would encourage me to train my own blackbirds but we haven't time for that.

Third...Mums....now it's getting tricky treatie, I have some that have come up from last year but I don't think that it would hurt to use sunflowers as a filler. They are growing plentiful on the side of the highway and I don't think it's against the law to stop and cut a few down. Of course if I get busted this could blow the whole idea of decorating without $$$$.

Fourth....Pumpkins....we have several orange t-shirts from past halloween's and if stuffed with pillows I'm sure they will look exactly like pumpkins. We'll just place them by the scarecrow, nobody's going to venture near him!

And last but not least we have the graveyard markers....well... I have been working on ours for years now. Because we know when we kick the bucket our children will have to bury us on a budget. We have matching pinewood boxes to boot!!

Happy Halloween to you all!!!! I see a busy day full of decorating in my future!!!!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Laundry



I'm not even going to begin to describe my love-hate relationship with my washer and dryer. But do you see these beauties. OMG to have one of these machines would make doing laundry feel like I had tackled Mt. Everest!

Of course the dream of owning one of these babies is just that.......a big fat dream!!! These little gems are in a financial league all their own! We're still wondering if our TV's are going to explode when the new HDTV system hits.

Ahhhhh....but my dream is to have these babies waiting for me in the laundry room. I can see it now...in candy apple red....sweeeeet.......followed with a years supply of laundry detergent and fabric softener and Clorox for hot and cold with a new laundry organization system....hey if your gonna dream....always dream BIG!!

I see a trip to the appliance section...to dream only.... in my future!!!














Saturday, September 27, 2008

Mogan David

This little bottle is what I remember seeing in my Nana's fridge. Now that I'm older and into the wine phase of my life I have the ability to try this little gem.

What can I say but....ummmm.... not for me. I may not put it on my top ten but what I can say as I sip away is "what in the world could have inspired my grandmother to love Mogen David?" We are not Jewish and therefore it could not be that it is kosher. We are not vegan, it is on the vegan list for wines. I read that somewhere as I was doing a little searching for Mogen David. So definatly not that. I love me some cow and chicken and pork....my apologies to the vegans.

What it has done for me is help me to remember my Nana. And that is what inspires me to buy this little gem of kosher wine. It is approved for use during passover and this is something that reminds me of her. She loved her church and her bible and her family and I miss her more with each passing year.

I wish I could ask her about this Mogen David. And tell her that I love her. But I will continue to sip away and try to unravil this mystery that is Mogen David. Perhaps I will grab a pastrami sandwich as well.

I see Mogen David in my future!!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Tonsils

OK. I was going to post a picture of Tonsils but that's just gross! My fourteen year old son had his removed one week ago today and is still feeling the effects. He looks pretty bad, in fact he looks worse than when he came out of recovery. He can breathe easier and is getting the best sleep of his life. Kinda scary that we don't hear the snoring anymore though. We didn't realize how loud it had been or how routine it had become to hear.

Now we had a great Doc.!! The man was awsome!! He took excellent care of our son and we couldn't have put him in more capable hands. Dr. Doc. was in charge of writing the prescriptions too! Dr. Doc. gave our son the good stuff!! No skimping on meds going on in our neck of the woods!

Most people will tell you that having your tonsils out is "not a big deal" "not serious" "thank god it's not something else" this is the main response that I received when telling people that he was going to have them taken out. He's so lucky he gets ice cream all the time!! And all that is primarily very true.

What I have learned however, as a mom, anytime they put someone you love under anesthesia it's a very big deal. Suddenly statistics become a very big deal and you just pray that your loved one doesn't become part of the statistics, even more so when it's your child. While our son is fourteen we did see several other children going in for the same procedure that were far younger than him. I prayed hard for my son and everybody else who was going in for surgery that morning.

While waiting for the procedure to be done what I observed was the love that families & friends have for one another! It was amazing to see family and friends come to support parents and loved ones while waiting with them for procedures to be completed. They put their daily routines on hold to make sure they were present. They came armed with books, magazines, newspapers, laptops, cell phones (laptops and cell phones are now allowed in the new outpatient facility we were in) and for the very lucky....Starbucks!!

We are so very grateful for all the text messages and phone calls we received from friends and family who could not be there, for it's not always possible for everyone to show up. Jobs and distance always prove difficult but thanks to the miracle of technology my text message box was full that day!! We LOVE you guys and Thank You!!

I will be forever grateful to my father-in-law for he came armed with conversation. We don't see very much of him, at least not as much as we should, but he showed up and was ready to help make our wait less daunting. We mainly talked about the squirrels and tomatoes...go figure! But the fact that he was there when our son opened his eyes made me realize how important it is to just be there. Be there for support!

We love you son!!!!!! You didn't need those tonsils and adenoids anyway!!

Thankfully all went well and we were out of there before we knew it. We said our goodbyes and watched as the one retired man, we thought had nothing to do, went to his next appointment for support. Thanks Dad for being there!!! You are greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

I see volunteering in my future!!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Squirrels

Looks harmless doesn't he? He sits in a tree waiting to see if I'm watching so that he can jump down into my garden to steal my tomatoes!!! This squirrel and all his little friends are thieves!!!

Now I love nature. I'm all for these guys getting ready for the winter and having enough food. I am just a "little" upset that they have chosen my garden to ROB!! They actually sit on my fence and stare at me while they eat my tomatoes!! UGH!!!

Now in their defense (and you know they need one) they think I'm crazy and I'm more than positive that these little creatures are using me for their own amusement. How many squirrels do you know sit on a fence and watch you. It's kinda creepy. But I have provided some fine entertainment for them.

I run out my back door and yell and wave my hands trying to chase them away from my garden. I have thrown my dogs bouncy balls at them, rocks, wood chips, little cars from the kids sand box, and one morning in my desperation to save a tomato I threw my coffee! Now you know I was desperate if I gave up a cup of my precious morning mojo!!


We have gotten five tomatoes from our garden and we planted five tomato vines. That's one tomato per plant that we've eaten this summer and the squirrels have had the rest. Now I've been taken advantage of before...but never by a squirrel!!!!!!

No kidding I'm going to shoot me some squirrels!! I will start Christmas decorating early this year. I see a tree full of squirrels in blue, red, yellow and perhaps green. I think I see a paint ball gun in my future!!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I Must Brag!


Yes!!! I must Brag!!! Our beautiful daughter has received an invitation to be a part of her dance studio's Ballet Company!!!!! She received the invitation in the mail yesterday. We are so excited for her and couldn't be prouder parents!!!

So Kuddo's and much love to you beautiful girl for working hard to make your dreams come true!! We know that you'll do great and that you will achieve all that you work hard to excel in. Life is a great journey when you choose the path best for you!!

This is our youngest daughter Kat and the best "bonus baby" we could have asked for! She is the most positive member of our family. Remember the movie "Pollyanna"? That's our Kat!

We LOVE YOU BABY!!!!!!!!!!!


Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Ears


Well the ear appointment was last Friday and I'm still in shock over the diagnosis. My saintly husband is the only man I know that can come back from an ear appointment with an official diagnosis of "SELECTIVE HEARING"! That's what I'm calling it!

First I want to tell you that he did stress that the person giving him the exam was a woman. Then he said "I have a problem hearing Women and Children's voices because of the pitch"......



Really???? Now I could have told you that for free!

Do you have any trouble hearing men?.... No?.... O.K.

So I have had a talk with the kiddo's, and to help out we're all going to talk in very low tones until we find another solution.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Eyeballs

So today was eye examine day for my beloved hubby! At 8:00 am he headed out the door for his 8:30 appointment. He hates to be late and seeing (no pun intended) that we only live five minutes from the eye center he had to leave at eight.

Now when I didn't hear from him by ten I was getting more than a little concerned. Maybe they were running behind or maybe he had to fill out papers. We all know this would take extra time especially if you can't see the questions on the paperwork. Things were starting to run through my mind. What could be taking so long? I called his cell and no answer....

At 10:30 am, two hours later, my beloved hubby walked thru the door. Now I am not kidding when I say that we only live FIVE minutes from the eye center. We could literally walk there if we had to.

He was wearing those glasses...you know the ones...we call them "old people glasses". They give them to you to protect your eyes from the rays of the sun because of the chemicals used to test your eyes. Now my beloved doesn't care about fashion at all so these glasses are not an issue for him. In fact I will share a secret with you...he keeps them in the car and when he can't find his sunglasses those are what he puts on. He has a "stash" as he calls it.

These glasses make me laugh. I don't know what I find so funny about them but each time I see a pair I smile. Now my hubby knows this and he cannot see me laughing because everything is very blurry after this eye exam. I know he can't see because not only does he not remove these glasses but he also asks me to close the curtains and blinds.

I do so willingly and then sit with him while he tells me all about his appointment. Glasses will be here in a week. I needed a stronger lens. My eyes have gotten worse. Bad news but nothing to seriously wrong. So why...I ask him...why were you gone so long?......

I couldn't see to drive home.

So now I'm feeling pretty bad about laughing at the glasses and maybe I should have gone with him. But wait....I leave the room to tend to the kiddos and come back and he has managed to cook a small brunch for us.

"I hope it's done" he says, "I couldn't tell"

Now my hubby is a great cook but let me tell you I have NEVER eaten anything like what he served me today. And after the morning he had...I ate it. Now I'm not sure if things were clearing up for him or not but I think that his eyeballs were clear enough that he could see the reaction on my face. "How is it?" he asks, "Fine", I reply.

"Oh by the way", he says, "I have a Hearing Test tomorrow."

"O.K." I screamed.



Thursday, July 31, 2008

Bulky Items


We'll it's official....Bulky Item pick-up is by appointment only now. For those of you who don't know Bulky Item pick-up is basically the trash truck with a claw on it and it would come on the eighth day of every even month without fail. That's when an unofficial, but yet official, contest would take place between my neighbor and myself to see whose junk got taken first. Because let's face it that's how I would look at what I put out there until one day I saw that all my neighbors stuff was getting taken away. And not by the claw truck!

There are people who actually come out in their cars and trucks to canvas the neighborhood for items put out that we may consider unworthy but others see as treasure. That's when the contest started......

Now let me throw a bone out there by saying my neighbors are updating their home so they have items like fencing and cabinets and tile so they had some good stuff.

I, on the other hand, have stuff like....broken toys, a pool with holes in it, need I say more....but I was starting to get a little upset that my stuff wasn't getting picked over. That's when I started looking around and well that's when the contest started. My neighbor would take out a mirror and I would haul out a chair. Perhaps my neighbor would take out a piece of wood and I would haul out a desk. You see where this is going?

I was actually getting a kick out of this little game and now it has come to an end with a postcard that says:

1. Effective September 1, 2008 Large item collection services will change to an appointment based system."

WHAT!

2. Appointments must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

WHAT!!!!!!

3. Collections will not be made without an appointment."

WHAT, WHAT, WHAT?

My saint of a husband says I need to play a new game......who has a better lawn perhaps? I see mowing in my future.....


Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The Phone bill


Well I got my phone bill in the mail and quickly went into a menopause meltdown! It got worse when I realized that I really didn't understand how to read the bill. You know I may be the only person that doesn't really pay attention to the actual bill unless I notice an amount on there that requires me to dig for gold.

Well as any good person would do that doesn't want to lose their services I called the phone company and had a two hour smack down with them. FYI I lost. I waited patiently on hold and listened to promotions about new services. Which I found ironic since I obviously don't understand my current services. And then I was transfered 27thousand times (a bit of an exaggeration) and asked to repeat my problem 27 THOUSAND TIMES!

Little helper person: "How can I help you?"

Menopause Me: "There SEEMS to be a mistake on my bill."

Little helper person: "I can help you with that."

Menopause Me: "There are several amounts on my bill that I don't understand."

Little helper person: "I can help you with that."

Menopause Me: "OK"

Menopause Me: "Hello?"

Little helper person: "I'm looking at your bill"

Menopause Me: "Hello?"

Little helper person: "did you hear about our newest promotion?"

Impatient ME: "Y E S, But I'm calling about my bill"

Annoying helper person: "I'm looking at your bill."

Now I understand that there are services and things out there in "Phone world" that I don't understand but that is why I'm calling for help. And let me tell you I learned that I have lost my backbone. That little helper person is good! I mean I came out of that conversation with no understanding of my bill....other than I have to pay it....and the little helper person got me to cancel my satellite and sold me on a new service for their version of cable. Their coming to install it today. I think my bill will be less but I was so confused by the time we were done that I really couldn't tell you. I know that my children have been cut off from use of the internet on their cell phones. They said "Thank you" when I told them. "Thank you?" I said...yes sometimes we ACCIDENTALLY get on there. Ummm would that be 27 THOUSAND ACCIDENTS?


Wednesday, July 23, 2008


I am now hooked on a new show. At least it's a new show to me because I'm usually a season or two behind at all times. I'm very intrigued with Tori & Dean. They just seem to be....um let's see how do I put this....well, intriguing to me. I usually don't watch these types of shows mostly because I don't have time but this little nugget has caught my eye. I mean look at Tori with her cute little duster and Dean well let's just say he's no plumber that's ever shown up at our house! I would have been clogging the drains myself if that were the case! And I must say I'm very impressed with them as parents. At least what has been shown for us to view.

Monkey! Which is their son's name is just a little gem. Now he has a real name but they call him Monkey or Monk so I have embedded this name into my brain and Monkey he will remain. I've noticed that a lot of his Jammies (you know P.J.'s, Pajama's, Jams) are the ones I have for our own little nugget which makes me feel like I have good fashion sense for at least one member of our household.


On a recent episode the topic of Preschool came up during an OB check up. I personally think that Dr. OB has the hots for Tori (or the camera) and is trying to impress her with his knowledge of Preschool. I could be wrong....anyway this sent them off in a search for the perfect Preschool for Monkey. He is only fourteen months old. Now this had me questioning at what age should Preschool be introduced? When we were young it was before the age of four or at least until the year before you started Kindergarten if you got to go at all. I believe it was considered a luxury back then. I followed this rule with my children as well. Not because I did not want to send them much sooner it's just that we were too poor to make a showing before then. Now days it seems that they are being enrolled before birth.

Ahh so much has changed and so much has remained the same. The question of the right thing to do is different for all of us whether it's Preschool or not. So kudos to Tori & Dean for doing what the rest of us are doing. We're all just trying to figure life out!

Monday, July 21, 2008

The day after!

Okie dokie....so the birthday was AWSOME!! My husband is the best! Breakfast in bed and then the best gift I could ask for.....wait for it....knock at the door and oh yes....my girlfriends!!! So happy that we got away! My girls are the BEST!! Couldn't ask for a better set of friends! I read somewhere that every girl needs five girlfriends in her life. Of course I don't remember what all five were, but I have four of the best!

We went to see MAMA MIA!!!! No Batman for these girls! We love ABBA! Who doesn't? Don't answer that because I know not everyone "LOVES ABBA" and I couldn't take the truth after seeing MAMA MIA! Who knew that James Bond could sing. I only know it was him because I sat in silent support of a marathon of James Bond flicks with my husband as he introduced our boys to Bond. I'm pretty sure that they were being introduced to the Bond ladies!

Anyway after singing and dancing our way to embarrassment, without alcohol I might add, we ventured to a fine dining establishment and continued the day with not having to cook, serve or clean up. That's when a married mommy knows she's having a special day! I actually ate hot food. In fact I had to wait for it to cool down, which every mommy knows that you blow on your food and then proceed to chopping it into little bits so that you don't choke. After arranging my food into carbs, veggies, and more carbs I ate the yummiest lunch I've had in a long time! Ahhh food glorious food....and then we did what all mommies do.....we looked at each other, smiled, paid and headed for Barnes & Noble!

Ahh what a great day! When we were done we headed back to the house and found that our children have the best care in all the land! The daddies! They were all doing fine and our husbands....well let's just say they are very happy to let us have our time!

Thanks Girls for one of the best days and thank you husband for the best birthday gift yet! Told you....he knows me!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Happy Birthday!! Doobie Star!!

Okie dokie here we go!!! Tomorrow is my forty-third birthday and as a gift to myself I decided that I would attempt to B L O G! I have been a reader of blogs for the last two years and am not even going to attempt to explain why I think that anyone would want to read this and at the same time cannot explain why I have been a reader for the last two years! Strange this turn of events for me. I have no formal training in blogging ( is that even available yet?) or journalism or any form of writing at all. So bare with me...I promise I will...will... make NO promises!!!!

I am forty-three tomorrow and feeling every bit of it! Only spent five years in the sixties. I miss the seventies, eighties and regret part of the nineties. 2000? Hasn't been too bad so far. I have five biological children and one baby (long story) that we are caring for at this time! Three children are grown and live on their own and three are still at home. Age range from 24 being the oldest, to 1 being the youngest.

I am married to the only man on the planet capable of handling me. My husband is a saint! I mean it he really is all my friends say so. Of course none of them live with him...and they don't do his laundry or errands or cooking or cleaning or the yard work...hey I'm starting to get pissed. Maybe I shouldn't blog....... oh my .......that saint just handed me another Martini! Told you he knew how to handle me!!

Maybe I'll be back!