Thank you for creating this little piece of Nirvana for me. [Okay a little mixing of religons there, but hey!]
WOW! Did we have a blast today or what? Found the coolest, most useless stuff to bring home. Okay, okay...some of it is not useless, but some of it was so damn cute we couldn't pass it up.
Can you say Ceramic Frog? I know you can. heehee
Actually the frog has a purpose. It happens to be the mascot of Pooldad's first pool job, the one he worked at for over 27 years. I am sending it off to our friend Linda who is still there as the office manager/pool service ninja extraordinaire. She will laugh hysterically and then probably throw it at an errant employee. [We can hope, right?]
How about the two champagne flutes? Squee - the best part is the stems spell "N-O-E-L" [where do people find this cheesey stuff?] which are so great ::giggling:: because our Christmas morning tradition is to have mimosas while opening presents. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like imprinted stemware. hee.
Then there is world's smallest dog dish. Since we have a small doggie that is fed 1/8th of a pound of Beneful meat roll [have y'all seen this? we are such pawns for marketing] twice a day I figured this was better than feeding her off of our dinner plates. So Spootie got something from the Thrift Store too!
What else? OHHHH...we decorate in a Snowman theme for Christmas. Love me some snowmen tadpoles. Just ask the 4 ft tall one on top of the armoire in my bedroom [where he lives for 11 months of the year - he is simply too cute to put away]. We found oodles of snowmen stuff. A lamp that holds a tealight [found a box of those too $1! woot] a mug and saucer, a plaque...I just can't wait for Christmas. Heck, I have already eaten Thanksgiving twice this month so can't we just skip November and go straight for the gold? I have champagne flutes to use people.
An honorable mention goes to the bags of cards I bought. Did you know that you can buy a ziploc bag of new greeting cards with envelopes for the low, low price of a buck at the thrift store? Or that they have packs of decorated computer paper for a dollar each? Be warned - I bought a bunch of Christmas themed paper so I will be sending y'all one of those "Our year in review" letters - but be assured none of it will be true. You are welcome to email your address now. You are really going to want one of these. hee.
I know I should probably take pictures, but it is 5 am and meh, I am not in the mood. Maybe later. :)
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
I Think Swine Flu Affects Your Brain :D
It seems Mom Toast has it's own official theme song.
Seriously - Wallene [of course it is Wallene - who else is going to make up a song about toast?] has decided that singing that she wants Mom Toast is so much more effective than coughing on me to get her precious breakfast meal.
If the dogs start tap dancing for the crusts I am outta here.
Save me. Please.
Seriously - Wallene [of course it is Wallene - who else is going to make up a song about toast?] has decided that singing that she wants Mom Toast is so much more effective than coughing on me to get her precious breakfast meal.
If the dogs start tap dancing for the crusts I am outta here.
Save me. Please.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sorry About That
Sorry if yesterday's post sounded a bit self absorbed. Please understand that we do focus on their deaths and the people that each of us loved at one time in our lives and were [are?] the parents of our children.
There is where it gets tricky because although it brings me no pleasure to post about how they died it is simply the bigger picture of why did they have to die so young? And how did it work out that both of our exes are now gone but somehow Pooldad and I are still standing?
And it really makes both of us question that these two people that we were married to, had kids with and watched both of them take great pleasure in trying to ruin us [believe me they did] were simply so unhappy that they took their own lives?
I can assure you neither of us saw this type of sadness when we were married to them and through all the custody, divorce and child support trials [oh, let's not forget the kidnapping trial!] they both were so gleeful - happylike that they could drag us through the muck. Out of over 60+ court dates only Sr. won, and he only won once. But neither of them ever seemed to take defeat hard and would turn around and a few months later another lawsuit would be posted on our door.
I knew Sr. had a drug habit and it was one thing that ended our marriage. He wanted to do drugs and I didn't want him to so he found a girlfriend [eventual wife] who would allow it. So his overdose, I guess? was inevitable. It is just, to me, that he would step up his abuse of drugs to the point that he could OD. I always wondered if he did it on purpose.
As for Pooldad's ex - well...she was plenty manic. There was a time that if she wanted to talk to Pooldad she would call our house 30 -40 times a day. She would create outlandish lies and submit them to court so we would have to schlep back and defend ourselves. Time and again. We always won, but she wouldn't quit.
She finally gave up when it became apparent that I was never going to allow her to talk to Pooldad again. It took a couple of months of phoning our home or work and me telling her no before she stopped.
She did make one last attempt earlier this year when, out of the blue, she called him at work. He wasn't in but I called her back and asked her if the kids were okay [thinking that is the only reason for a call]. She replied yes and said she called Pooldad because she wanted to have lunch with him. I told her he wasn't interested in ever talking to her again so lunch wouldn't even be an option. She called me a bitch and hung up. We never heard from her again.
What is so funny about her pursuit of her ex husband is that she left him for another man she married and had a kid with. I could never quite figure out why she still had to have Pooldad too. It wasn't like she ever allowed us to exercise our visitation with the kids when they were older. At that point they didn't have anything to talk about as the kids weren't involved and she was paid handily every month via auto pay, so child support was never late.
Pooldad said last night "You don't think she was so sad that it was all over in September when Tee [his son] turned 18 do you?"
No. I don't. Child support was a chunk of his pay but it wasn't paying all their bills so we don't think she did it because of the ending of child support. We just don't know. And we certainly don't understand.
It truly makes you question your mortality. I hope you understand that we aren't being crass about either of their deaths. As I mentioned before these were people that, at one time, we truly loved. Their actions after the divorces were deplorable but Pooldad and I had eachother and stuck it out. I think sometimes the fact that they couldn't break us up frustrated them. One of the biggest problems we had with each of them was that neither could accept the fact that our respective step children really liked us. They all loved being with us and the children were terribly disheartened to hear our exes bad mouth their new step parents.
I don't know why I posted this or why it is so rambly. It really doesn't touch what has occurred in the last 15 years - but I wish I just knew why.
There is where it gets tricky because although it brings me no pleasure to post about how they died it is simply the bigger picture of why did they have to die so young? And how did it work out that both of our exes are now gone but somehow Pooldad and I are still standing?
And it really makes both of us question that these two people that we were married to, had kids with and watched both of them take great pleasure in trying to ruin us [believe me they did] were simply so unhappy that they took their own lives?
I can assure you neither of us saw this type of sadness when we were married to them and through all the custody, divorce and child support trials [oh, let's not forget the kidnapping trial!] they both were so gleeful - happylike that they could drag us through the muck. Out of over 60+ court dates only Sr. won, and he only won once. But neither of them ever seemed to take defeat hard and would turn around and a few months later another lawsuit would be posted on our door.
I knew Sr. had a drug habit and it was one thing that ended our marriage. He wanted to do drugs and I didn't want him to so he found a girlfriend [eventual wife] who would allow it. So his overdose, I guess? was inevitable. It is just, to me, that he would step up his abuse of drugs to the point that he could OD. I always wondered if he did it on purpose.
As for Pooldad's ex - well...she was plenty manic. There was a time that if she wanted to talk to Pooldad she would call our house 30 -40 times a day. She would create outlandish lies and submit them to court so we would have to schlep back and defend ourselves. Time and again. We always won, but she wouldn't quit.
She finally gave up when it became apparent that I was never going to allow her to talk to Pooldad again. It took a couple of months of phoning our home or work and me telling her no before she stopped.
She did make one last attempt earlier this year when, out of the blue, she called him at work. He wasn't in but I called her back and asked her if the kids were okay [thinking that is the only reason for a call]. She replied yes and said she called Pooldad because she wanted to have lunch with him. I told her he wasn't interested in ever talking to her again so lunch wouldn't even be an option. She called me a bitch and hung up. We never heard from her again.
What is so funny about her pursuit of her ex husband is that she left him for another man she married and had a kid with. I could never quite figure out why she still had to have Pooldad too. It wasn't like she ever allowed us to exercise our visitation with the kids when they were older. At that point they didn't have anything to talk about as the kids weren't involved and she was paid handily every month via auto pay, so child support was never late.
Pooldad said last night "You don't think she was so sad that it was all over in September when Tee [his son] turned 18 do you?"
No. I don't. Child support was a chunk of his pay but it wasn't paying all their bills so we don't think she did it because of the ending of child support. We just don't know. And we certainly don't understand.
It truly makes you question your mortality. I hope you understand that we aren't being crass about either of their deaths. As I mentioned before these were people that, at one time, we truly loved. Their actions after the divorces were deplorable but Pooldad and I had eachother and stuck it out. I think sometimes the fact that they couldn't break us up frustrated them. One of the biggest problems we had with each of them was that neither could accept the fact that our respective step children really liked us. They all loved being with us and the children were terribly disheartened to hear our exes bad mouth their new step parents.
I don't know why I posted this or why it is so rambly. It really doesn't touch what has occurred in the last 15 years - but I wish I just knew why.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
I Am Starting to Think The Twilight Zone Theme Music is The Soundtrack of My Life
Okay. Weird.
Today is my deceased, first [ex] husband's 41st birthday. He has been dead for 3 years. Okay. Fine. Noted.
Well, come to find out [today] that Pooldad's ex-wife is also, now, dead. Seems she took her own life two weeks ago. She was 53.
What is it with people we used to be married to? Oh and why did they both overdose? Her's was intentional with prescriptions and Sr.'s was accidental with illegal drugs.
Sigh.
Life is a little odd being married for this long and knowing between the two of us we are the single parents of four [FOUR!] kids [two each] and the step parents to children that are missing at least one of their parents. [For the count remember the youngest is ours together and my first child was only with me for 3 days after her birth - so yes, we do have six]
How the hell does this happen?
Oh, and the kids and Pooldad have the swine flu. I am posting from the closet. See you in a week ;)
Today is my deceased, first [ex] husband's 41st birthday. He has been dead for 3 years. Okay. Fine. Noted.
Well, come to find out [today] that Pooldad's ex-wife is also, now, dead. Seems she took her own life two weeks ago. She was 53.
What is it with people we used to be married to? Oh and why did they both overdose? Her's was intentional with prescriptions and Sr.'s was accidental with illegal drugs.
Sigh.
Life is a little odd being married for this long and knowing between the two of us we are the single parents of four [FOUR!] kids [two each] and the step parents to children that are missing at least one of their parents. [For the count remember the youngest is ours together and my first child was only with me for 3 days after her birth - so yes, we do have six]
How the hell does this happen?
Oh, and the kids and Pooldad have the swine flu. I am posting from the closet. See you in a week ;)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Mom Toast or Why I Think My Toaster May Explode
Honestly? I have made more toast in the past few days than I even want to count.
Mom Toast is the special little treat our kids get when they are sick. It is simply the fluffy processed white bread, toasted [on setting 3], buttered [with or without cinnamon depending on their tummies] with the crusts cut off and placed oh' so prettily on a plate [I am the food Ninja when it comes to food placement]. And there is usually herbal tea in a china cup involved.
Eventhough only one kid is sick it is inevitable that the other one feels slighted and "doe eyes" me into making her Mom Toast too, so we are approaching 8 slices at once. Then I turn around and Dad is sticking his bottom lip out and the number approaches 12 slices...and? Man, that is A LOT of crumbs on my counter Tadpoles.
Sucks.
I hate crumbs. [You simply cannot clean ALL the crumbs. Do you notice this too? There will always be crumbs somewhere. Well there would be, unless I let Scooby lick the counters. Which I am not going to allow. Um...no, not going to let the dog lick the counters. Although.....]
But I hate a sick baby worse, so Mom Toast it is.
All is not wasted tho'. The doggies love themselves some crusts. They just love Mom Toast days.
You're welcome Wonder Bread. You can send my residuals via Paypal at my email. Thanks.
ETA: This is the stupidest thing I have ever posted, isn't it? I am way beyond officially a Mommy Blogger. Send the rope. I will pay the postage. Sigh. I didn't realize how really not cool I am anymore. Oh well. It takes some of us a while.
Mom Toast is the special little treat our kids get when they are sick. It is simply the fluffy processed white bread, toasted [on setting 3], buttered [with or without cinnamon depending on their tummies] with the crusts cut off and placed oh' so prettily on a plate [I am the food Ninja when it comes to food placement]. And there is usually herbal tea in a china cup involved.
Eventhough only one kid is sick it is inevitable that the other one feels slighted and "doe eyes" me into making her Mom Toast too, so we are approaching 8 slices at once. Then I turn around and Dad is sticking his bottom lip out and the number approaches 12 slices...and? Man, that is A LOT of crumbs on my counter Tadpoles.
Sucks.
I hate crumbs. [You simply cannot clean ALL the crumbs. Do you notice this too? There will always be crumbs somewhere. Well there would be, unless I let Scooby lick the counters. Which I am not going to allow. Um...no, not going to let the dog lick the counters. Although.....]
But I hate a sick baby worse, so Mom Toast it is.
All is not wasted tho'. The doggies love themselves some crusts. They just love Mom Toast days.
You're welcome Wonder Bread. You can send my residuals via Paypal at my email. Thanks.
ETA: This is the stupidest thing I have ever posted, isn't it? I am way beyond officially a Mommy Blogger. Send the rope. I will pay the postage. Sigh. I didn't realize how really not cool I am anymore. Oh well. It takes some of us a while.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Life is Like a Box of Tadpoles
I have called my readers "Tadpoles" since my first blog "So You Own a Swimming Pool...And?". My older readers get the gag and my newer readers, I am sure are a bit confused. I apologize for that, but it all comes down to my first blog was based on Pooldad and my experiences running a swimming pool company and a customer that had a swarm of tadpoles in her pool one day.
Meh. It seemed appropriate and funny at the time. It stuck for me. So I hope you don't mind that I refer to you as tadpoles - I mean it in an endearing way and it always brings a smile to my face. True fact - it is accepted venacular in our home, i.e. "Hey kids want to know what the Tadpoles said today?" And they know exactly who I am talking about.
I preface the story I am about to tell with this explanation because it has become hard for me to post this past week. I know your world doesn't hinge on my world or whether or not I post but I have received a couple of emails and a phone call or two asking where the heck I am. With Lupus I guess you guys worry.
Nope, still here. Thanks for the concern, really. Sometimes I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you guys to read, share and talk to - you are a saving grace in an otherwise shut in kind of world.
Here is the crux of why I haven't been able to post - I have been presented with the happiness and the sadness of having tadpoles. On one side of the coin I get to share in the wonderfulness and the beauty of the birth of a new baby and on the other side one of my newer readers was presented with the death of her son a week ago.
I have gone from leaving happy, happy comments for the new parents to leaving heartfelt hugs and condolences to my newest tadpole, because I know. And I can't do much more - except avoid blogging about my mundane life and taking away from her sadness and pain.
Perhaps I make too much out of this internet thing. I suppose you all aren't really ever going to exist in my world physically, but you mean the world to me. I have watched you grow, live, have fun, suffer loss, succeed, share your best and your worst. In turn you all have supported me, cheered me and have completely taken me down a notch when I deserved it. It may all be virtual, but it still IS something. To me at least.
Sometimes you lil' vertebrates are hard to juggle, y'know? Kisses XO
This leads me into the ridiculous that is my life right now. And the vertebrate comment has a purpose. Bear with me.
The eldest is in ISC - which is an acronym for [I don't know what] an independent research class where Honors students do a year long Science Fair type project. This is not a project that is accomplished in one night over the kitchen table with Dad and Mom taking samples of water, etc. This sucker takes nine months and involves LIVE things.
Enter a box of 100 Tadpoles.
Ordered online.
No. I am not kidding.
Seems Miss Squirrel wants to research the effect of light on the growth of her lil' vertebrates and in doing so.....
.....wait for it.....
.....the Commonwealth of Virginia [hiss] has deemed it necessary that she have a Veternarian on call in case they require medical attention. Why? Because they are vertebrates. Meaning "having a backbone" and um....well now you see my overuse of the word.
[Stop laughing. STOP. This is MY world. I am living it, okay? Okay. I am laughing too. Shit.]
When she told me this two weeks ago I looked her straight in the eye, handed her the Yellow Pages and said "Find a Veternarian and good luck. I refuse to make this phone call. Your project, your heartache."
She didn't flinch, but? She didn't do it. Then she fell ill with the flu this weekend and guess when this special little Veternarian sign off form is due?
Tomorrow.
Guess what Skippy did yesterday? Embarrassed the hell out of myself calling around asking if the good Doctors of Northern Virginia did, really, take care of TADPOLES.
Seriously? My own Vet laughed at me. [Nice, not our Vet anymore] so I got online and went the exotic route. Do you know there are Veternarians out there that actually treat goldfish? And they are more than happy to sign off on this project and will happily be paid if anything happens to the lil' guys. Believe me I love all God's creatures, but transporting a tadpole to the Vet because light therapy in some way hindered it's growth/well being?
Find the shotgun. Now. I will shoot 'em.
I do have to say that this particular Practice is fabulous - from the receptionist, to the Doctor and the [I kid you not] reptile specialist. The RS is so geeked about this project that he gave the Eldest his card and she can contact him anytime she needs to discuss the health and care of her tadpoles.
Life has taken many opportunities to laugh in my face. And honestly? It has done a pretty damn good job up to this point.
But this? I called to find a Vet to take care of tadpoles? Huh?
I keep looking for the door a la' "The Truman Show". You know the one at the end when he steps out?
I know that sucker is here somewhere. I just need to find it.
Meh. It seemed appropriate and funny at the time. It stuck for me. So I hope you don't mind that I refer to you as tadpoles - I mean it in an endearing way and it always brings a smile to my face. True fact - it is accepted venacular in our home, i.e. "Hey kids want to know what the Tadpoles said today?" And they know exactly who I am talking about.
I preface the story I am about to tell with this explanation because it has become hard for me to post this past week. I know your world doesn't hinge on my world or whether or not I post but I have received a couple of emails and a phone call or two asking where the heck I am. With Lupus I guess you guys worry.
Nope, still here. Thanks for the concern, really. Sometimes I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you guys to read, share and talk to - you are a saving grace in an otherwise shut in kind of world.
Here is the crux of why I haven't been able to post - I have been presented with the happiness and the sadness of having tadpoles. On one side of the coin I get to share in the wonderfulness and the beauty of the birth of a new baby and on the other side one of my newer readers was presented with the death of her son a week ago.
I have gone from leaving happy, happy comments for the new parents to leaving heartfelt hugs and condolences to my newest tadpole, because I know. And I can't do much more - except avoid blogging about my mundane life and taking away from her sadness and pain.
Perhaps I make too much out of this internet thing. I suppose you all aren't really ever going to exist in my world physically, but you mean the world to me. I have watched you grow, live, have fun, suffer loss, succeed, share your best and your worst. In turn you all have supported me, cheered me and have completely taken me down a notch when I deserved it. It may all be virtual, but it still IS something. To me at least.
Sometimes you lil' vertebrates are hard to juggle, y'know? Kisses XO
This leads me into the ridiculous that is my life right now. And the vertebrate comment has a purpose. Bear with me.
The eldest is in ISC - which is an acronym for [I don't know what] an independent research class where Honors students do a year long Science Fair type project. This is not a project that is accomplished in one night over the kitchen table with Dad and Mom taking samples of water, etc. This sucker takes nine months and involves LIVE things.
Enter a box of 100 Tadpoles.
Ordered online.
No. I am not kidding.
Seems Miss Squirrel wants to research the effect of light on the growth of her lil' vertebrates and in doing so.....
.....wait for it.....
.....the Commonwealth of Virginia [hiss] has deemed it necessary that she have a Veternarian on call in case they require medical attention. Why? Because they are vertebrates. Meaning "having a backbone" and um....well now you see my overuse of the word.
[Stop laughing. STOP. This is MY world. I am living it, okay? Okay. I am laughing too. Shit.]
When she told me this two weeks ago I looked her straight in the eye, handed her the Yellow Pages and said "Find a Veternarian and good luck. I refuse to make this phone call. Your project, your heartache."
She didn't flinch, but? She didn't do it. Then she fell ill with the flu this weekend and guess when this special little Veternarian sign off form is due?
Tomorrow.
Guess what Skippy did yesterday? Embarrassed the hell out of myself calling around asking if the good Doctors of Northern Virginia did, really, take care of TADPOLES.
Seriously? My own Vet laughed at me. [Nice, not our Vet anymore] so I got online and went the exotic route. Do you know there are Veternarians out there that actually treat goldfish? And they are more than happy to sign off on this project and will happily be paid if anything happens to the lil' guys. Believe me I love all God's creatures, but transporting a tadpole to the Vet because light therapy in some way hindered it's growth/well being?
Find the shotgun. Now. I will shoot 'em.
I do have to say that this particular Practice is fabulous - from the receptionist, to the Doctor and the [I kid you not] reptile specialist. The RS is so geeked about this project that he gave the Eldest his card and she can contact him anytime she needs to discuss the health and care of her tadpoles.
Life has taken many opportunities to laugh in my face. And honestly? It has done a pretty damn good job up to this point.
But this? I called to find a Vet to take care of tadpoles? Huh?
I keep looking for the door a la' "The Truman Show". You know the one at the end when he steps out?
I know that sucker is here somewhere. I just need to find it.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Stupid Cruise Lines
Here I sit at 6:30 am in the morning, reading blogs, drinking tea and trying to stay warm. Because you know October in Virginia has decided to pretend to be the bigger, badder weather month of DECEMBER and freeze my behoohoo off. [It is currently 40 degrees]
Um, October? Winter is TWO months off. Give me a break.
But that isn't what is driving me bananas this morning. I heard Christmas music. Coming from my TV. In mid-October.
Yes - the Cruise lines have decided that showing warm weather and crystal clear blue water while playing Christmas tunes will be a total inducement for me to book a Christmas cruise now.
Naw. You're just seriously pissing me off.
I can handle Christmas tunes in November, but don't taint my Halloween goodness with the Jingle of the Bells. I will shun you.
Um, October? Winter is TWO months off. Give me a break.
But that isn't what is driving me bananas this morning. I heard Christmas music. Coming from my TV. In mid-October.
Yes - the Cruise lines have decided that showing warm weather and crystal clear blue water while playing Christmas tunes will be a total inducement for me to book a Christmas cruise now.
Naw. You're just seriously pissing me off.
I can handle Christmas tunes in November, but don't taint my Halloween goodness with the Jingle of the Bells. I will shun you.
Gosh. You Don't Say....
I don't know if it is because of my present situation or the fact I am just snarky by nature, but this converstation took every fiber of my being to not say something rude.
I was talking to a friend of mine of the phone yesterday and she was lamenting a problem she was having with some paperwork regarding her name change since being married.
Reanne: I couldn't believe they wouldn't know it was me Skippy. The first name and the addresses matched. I just didn't change to my married name on this particular paperwork.
Skippy: [commiserating] I know Reanne. That sucks. The government has strange rules, don't they?
Reanne: I know! It is ridiculous. I think I have it straightened out though.
Skippy: Great!
Then she said it:
Reanne: If I had thought about it when we got married years ago I would've been better off, huh?
Skippy: ..........[cricket chirp]
Reanne: Skip? You there? Hello?
Skippy: Um, Reanne?
Reanne: Yes?
Skippy: [deadpan] You have been married four years.
~
Was I wrong for pointing that out? My parents were married for 45 years when my Father passed away; my In-Laws are working on a strong 54 years; Grandparents? Ditto and my Great Grandparents actually had a commemorative plate hanging in their kitchen celebrating SIXTY years.
These are the marriages that can be said occurred "years ago". Heck, even a second decade or a third can throw you into the "married years ago" category; but anything under double digits? Don't be silly.
I know Reanne is happily married, but, really? Please don't make it what it is not. They just recently celebrated their four year mark - and they are in our age bracket [mid 30's early 40's] It isn't a huge amount of time in the scope of things and to use the verbage "married years ago" is ridiculous.
Please feel free to use the line on someone that doesn't know you as well as we do, but stop pretending that it is more than it is with us. We know better.
I was talking to a friend of mine of the phone yesterday and she was lamenting a problem she was having with some paperwork regarding her name change since being married.
Reanne: I couldn't believe they wouldn't know it was me Skippy. The first name and the addresses matched. I just didn't change to my married name on this particular paperwork.
Skippy: [commiserating] I know Reanne. That sucks. The government has strange rules, don't they?
Reanne: I know! It is ridiculous. I think I have it straightened out though.
Skippy: Great!
Then she said it:
Reanne: If I had thought about it when we got married years ago I would've been better off, huh?
Skippy: ..........[cricket chirp]
Reanne: Skip? You there? Hello?
Skippy: Um, Reanne?
Reanne: Yes?
Skippy: [deadpan] You have been married four years.
~
Was I wrong for pointing that out? My parents were married for 45 years when my Father passed away; my In-Laws are working on a strong 54 years; Grandparents? Ditto and my Great Grandparents actually had a commemorative plate hanging in their kitchen celebrating SIXTY years.
These are the marriages that can be said occurred "years ago". Heck, even a second decade or a third can throw you into the "married years ago" category; but anything under double digits? Don't be silly.
I know Reanne is happily married, but, really? Please don't make it what it is not. They just recently celebrated their four year mark - and they are in our age bracket [mid 30's early 40's] It isn't a huge amount of time in the scope of things and to use the verbage "married years ago" is ridiculous.
Please feel free to use the line on someone that doesn't know you as well as we do, but stop pretending that it is more than it is with us. We know better.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
So Your Baby is Too Healthy?
This just makes me ::headdesk::.
There was a little boy on the news yesterday - he is 4 months old, 25 inches tall and 17 lbs. This places him in the 99th percentile of babies his age.
What every parent strives for, right? I loved when the pediatrician told me my kids were in the upper echelon of percentage for weight and height. It made me feel like I was actually doing something right!
The parents' insurance company begged to differ and had cancelled the baby's insurance. Why? Because he is "too big". HUH?
They claimed that anything over 95% was considered unhealthy [again - whaaaa?] and denied his coverage.
Sigh.
I googled it this morning and discovered that they have reinstated his insurance. So, that is good news.
But I have to ask: When is being in the 99th percentile of anything a bad thing? Isn't that why those particular scales are created - for comparison? I would think that the insurance company would've been thrilled that the baby is thriving.
What's next? A baby under their health plan falls below the 80th percentile and they cancel coverage because, gasp - the baby is too small and may not doing all that well?
I just don't understand it.
There was a little boy on the news yesterday - he is 4 months old, 25 inches tall and 17 lbs. This places him in the 99th percentile of babies his age.
What every parent strives for, right? I loved when the pediatrician told me my kids were in the upper echelon of percentage for weight and height. It made me feel like I was actually doing something right!
The parents' insurance company begged to differ and had cancelled the baby's insurance. Why? Because he is "too big". HUH?
They claimed that anything over 95% was considered unhealthy [again - whaaaa?] and denied his coverage.
Sigh.
I googled it this morning and discovered that they have reinstated his insurance. So, that is good news.
But I have to ask: When is being in the 99th percentile of anything a bad thing? Isn't that why those particular scales are created - for comparison? I would think that the insurance company would've been thrilled that the baby is thriving.
What's next? A baby under their health plan falls below the 80th percentile and they cancel coverage because, gasp - the baby is too small and may not doing all that well?
I just don't understand it.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Your Thermostat and You
It is a well known fact I hate my gas company. It should also be common knowledge that I am attempting to hold out for November 1st before I turn on our [gas] heat in our home.
I do get awfully cold in the kitchen and family room, but have plenty of blankets and quilts on my bed for the nighttime and I layer. Whooboy do I layer. I even type with gloves on.
I do. Seriously.
My kids both have goose down duvets, cotton blankets and quilts on their bed, plus warm pajamas and also can layer during the morning/evening hours. They don't quite suffer the cold the way I do, but....I have to ask.
At what point do you turn on your heater? Do you set it on auto and set the at 62 or above? It is going to be in the 40's tonight - but I think with all the layering, pajamas and covers we are good.
Still, should I turn it on? I think the girls are saying what I want to hear because I have been pretty adament about the Nov. 1st deadline. I just didn't think it was going to get this cold this fast. [And yes, I do appreciate some of you out there have snow/colder weather than us] This is just odd for so early in October.
I want to wait - but I don't want to chill the girls out. So, what do you all do? Majority rules.
I do get awfully cold in the kitchen and family room, but have plenty of blankets and quilts on my bed for the nighttime and I layer. Whooboy do I layer. I even type with gloves on.
I do. Seriously.
My kids both have goose down duvets, cotton blankets and quilts on their bed, plus warm pajamas and also can layer during the morning/evening hours. They don't quite suffer the cold the way I do, but....I have to ask.
At what point do you turn on your heater? Do you set it on auto and set the at 62 or above? It is going to be in the 40's tonight - but I think with all the layering, pajamas and covers we are good.
Still, should I turn it on? I think the girls are saying what I want to hear because I have been pretty adament about the Nov. 1st deadline. I just didn't think it was going to get this cold this fast. [And yes, I do appreciate some of you out there have snow/colder weather than us] This is just odd for so early in October.
I want to wait - but I don't want to chill the girls out. So, what do you all do? Majority rules.
If You Need Me Before April 2010
I will be in the bathroom - Remember? The most important room to keep warm?
I will be reading, blogging and probably sleeping in there 'cause Tadpoles? It has gotten cold very, very early here. It is in the low 40's at night and doesn't hit 55 degrees during the day.
What happened to Fall? The sweater weather? No coats? Just heavy sweaters and jeans? Yeah, well...gone. I think we had one day to dress like that, now we are moving into almost frost - that will be sometime in late October - but the next week looks poor too. Nothing above 55 degrees. Sigh.
I have been warm two times this year - while we were on Hatteras Island for our vacation and whenever I step into our itty bitty powder room with the heater on.
So, if you need me - I will be perched with a cup of hot tea, my laptop and a good biography in the bathroom. I will be out for noshing and if the phone rings.
[And before anyone says ewww...I am just kidding. Sarcasm folks, pure sarcasm]
I will be reading, blogging and probably sleeping in there 'cause Tadpoles? It has gotten cold very, very early here. It is in the low 40's at night and doesn't hit 55 degrees during the day.
What happened to Fall? The sweater weather? No coats? Just heavy sweaters and jeans? Yeah, well...gone. I think we had one day to dress like that, now we are moving into almost frost - that will be sometime in late October - but the next week looks poor too. Nothing above 55 degrees. Sigh.
I have been warm two times this year - while we were on Hatteras Island for our vacation and whenever I step into our itty bitty powder room with the heater on.
So, if you need me - I will be perched with a cup of hot tea, my laptop and a good biography in the bathroom. I will be out for noshing and if the phone rings.
[And before anyone says ewww...I am just kidding. Sarcasm folks, pure sarcasm]
Feisty Foodie Free Foodie Fun! It's a Contest!
Get yourself over to my pal's Yvo's blog - Feisty Foodie- and leave a comment to win a fun, foodie type gift! It's super easy and she has A LOT of great stuff to give away. Just click the link. Go! It is awesome.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Greyhound: When Your Life Just Wasn't Interesting Enough
This is Wallene's work of art. Spot wanted to "take the bus"~
I have several stories of riding the Greyhound bus to visit my Mother in SC. For the uninitiated I do not like flying and my husband/Mother don't like me driving the long distance alone. Somehow they both decided that the Greyhound was a safer option.
~
They won't let me on the bus anymore. That should tell you something.
~
My favorite story is the criminal. Well, the first real, true criminal. Cops and handcuffs kind of criminal. This was the incident that started the mumblings that "uh...perhaps we should let Skippy drive...um...yeah, well....]
~
The great thing about Greyhound is they stop in ALL the small out of the way small towns that you and I have never heard of. The type of town where public urination is probably legal and marrying your first cousin is [the only] an option. [I am Southern. I get to say this.]
~
Tadpoles? I have seen more of small town South then I ever imagined or needed to.
~
Okay, back to the criminal. I was on the bus riding from SC to VA. I had some fun seat mates around me [Marines home on leave - very nice men - Thanks guys!] and we were hanging out, chatting. When the bus stopped at the next pick up stop [a convenience store, no less - who buys a bus ticket at a Stop-and-Go?] we all rambled out to have a smoke break and a drink. The Marines were catching a different bus, but were watching out for me and mentioned that one of our new passengers looked a little shady. I didn't notice until they pointed him out.
~
Yep. Middle of November and this guy was wearing khaki pants, a t-shirt and carrying his coat over his arm [the coat matched his pants in color/fabric] I shushed them and said "Oh, he is probably a landscaper or something." No, they insisted that I keep an eye on him and not sit by him.
~
We all piled back on the bus - underdressed landscaper included, but the bus wasn't moving. No driver. Okay. I cracked open my book and started to read. What is a busline without delays, right?
~
Oh, no, no, no...what I need to ask is what is a bus trip without the men in blue boarding the bus with our bus driver. One policeman was holding an honest-to-God "Wanted" poster and he scanned the bus and picked [ding!ding!ding!] landscaper dude.
~
They handcuffed him and removed him from the bus. And we were on our way.
~
Turns out he wasn't wearing his coat because the back had the initials "NCDC" [North Carolina Department of Corrections] stenciled on it and he had walked off of work duty and into a bus station, bought a ticket and had decided he was leaving via Greyhound.
~
Sweet, eh?
~
You would think THAT would've ended my bus riding career, but no...my Mom and husband allowed me a few more rides before I was finally stopped. Hee.
Yes, Yes, No, Maybe and Yes
Haven't done one of these posts in a while. I have been out of the loop, not caring and basically being blaise about life. I figure what's the point when you look at the same four walls for 24/7? Not much I suppose. But this week brought me some relief and some heartache. [Anytime you guys are tired of the heartache just click over to Just Humor Me and laugh. Leave me alone. I am cranky. She isn't. Go. There.]
But LOOK! Y'all stayed [or came back - she's funny isn't she?]and now you are along for the ride. So, without further ado here is my 3 Yes[es], 1 No and a Maybe. hee.
Yes! - I am sitting here in a very pretty tye dyed t-shirt my Wallene made me at Amy's Memorial. I don't know if it is because my baby made it or I am thinking about Rich and Amy that it comforts me, but it is nice. Very nice. It is an incredibly ugly choice of colors [no offense Wallene, but it looks like Spot ate a frog and barfed. Seriously. Ever seen a dacshund digest a frog and have it come back? That. Puke green and yellow.] but I have to say it is nice to have. I pray for Rich.
Yes! - It is WARM here today. You tadpoles know the beauty in this for me. OMG. I have the back door open at 12 am and I get to tell the kidlets "HA! It is October and no A/C for YOU." [I feel like the A/C Nazi, but hey...I love warm] heeheee....I am so happy with this one fluke of weather in October. I am not going to bed until the temp goes down. I don't have to freeze my butt off with fake cold air [A/C] and they can't make me turn on the unit because it is October. Bwahahahaha. Okay. I am mean. But I am warm! bonus!
No! When I mentioned earlier that our divorce was a "paper" divorce I hoped y'all understood. It hurt to file it, hurt to know on "paper" we weren't married, but it hasn't gone through yet [Jan 10'] Well, since it didn't go through soon enough the reprecussions that I was trying to avoid are now here. Hear that thud? That is my life, pretty much crashing down around me and my daughters. But what are you going to do? The sun comes up tomorrow and life is to be lived another day. Even if I don't want to or don't have the means.
Maybe? Never had a maybe category before, but I added it because Wallene made me laugh today. She brought her interim home and handed it to me. Before I could open it she started to stutter, hem, haw [what is haw btw? Do you haw?] anyway I opened it. It looks lovely, but her best subject isn't looking ...well, like her best subject. I placed my finger on it and raised an eyebrow. [You Moms KNOW you have done this, shut up] and she simply said "Yes Mom. I didn't do my best and I know that if I try harder it won't be that on my report card." Hardass aren't I? Honestly and I get tired of saying it - we ask them to do their best - we don't care the grade as long as they DO.THEIR.BEST. Well she knew the question was coming and she knew she had been goofing off in this class. So, yeah - I gave birth to trained seals. Hand clap for me. She knows the drill. [And if you don't get the sarcasm, get off my blog.]
Yes! This is a little bittersweet. I don't talk about my side of the family much. In fact not at all. But today I talked to my sister and my Mom finally removed my brother from her home [with the help of my sis'] so she can spend her final days in peace. I heard my Mom's voice for the first time in quite a few months and cried. She was so sure back when that my brother was going to take care of her - and she threw sis' and I to the wayside, allowing him to abuse us and ultimately her too. When she discovered what a XXXXXXXXXX he was she finally allowed my sister to remove him. Thank goodness. I am so glad that she can die in peace.
I should probably add a No! to the last one - because it looks like I am going to be on a Greyhound to visit my Mom. Ever been on a Greyhound Bus for 9 hours? Those stories are too much. I swore I would never do it again, but since I can no longer drive those distances I will now have to suck it up and go ...on the bus...oh, you have no idea what travels the roadways between VA and SC on the Greyhound. Their slogan shouldn't be "Leave the driving to us" it is more apt to read "Leave the criminals to us."
I could curl your hair with those stories. hee.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
A Little Christian Education at the Post Office?
Pooldad, Wallene and I went to the U.S. Post Office the other day. While waiting in line there was the cutest lil' baby in line behind us. He was about six months old and his Daddy was making him giggle. It was so cute. He and his Daddy were adorable.
Wallene: I wish I was that cute.
SkippyM: You were honey. [I meant when she was six months old]
Pooldad: [teasing]Yeah, but not now. You grew out of it.
Wallene: [giggle] Y'all...stop it!
If any of you know anything about us we adore our children. And we are sarcastic AND sound sarcastic when we say stuff like this. Well.....
Seems one of the Postal Ladies thought that she should call Wallene over and educate her that GOD loves her, no matter what herevil Mom and Dad say.
Poor Wallene. The self restraint this child showed was amazing. The fact that her eyes didn't explode from her head while she kept from rolling them at this woman was really a feat to behold. She was polite - yes ma'am, thank you. Etc.
Pooldad and I were attempting to finish our transaction and I caught the snippets of "Listen to XXX song honey, it tells how God loves you for who you are. You are lovely." and "Do you have a radio? Oh good. Well a good station is XXXX FM. You go home and find that and listen to the shows and God's Word. You'll see. God loves everyone." The implication was even if hernasty, mean parents didn't.
HELLO!!
I want to buy stamps and mail a package. I was joking around with my kid. Which, we weren't loud. No one else heard us - but this postal worker took it upon herself to school my kid that even if we [implied] she was not cute anymore GOD still loved her.
I won't kid you - and y'all know - we are basic white bread. But suppose we had been Muslim or Jewish or Buddist - I don't know? How rude. Even with our belief in God her behavior was really too much.
I found the whole thing incredibly intrusive as the woman is an employee, not assisting us, doesn't know us or our religious affiliation and really? Simply wrong.
I don't need religion in my U.S. Post Office thank you.
Wallene: I wish I was that cute.
SkippyM: You were honey. [I meant when she was six months old]
Pooldad: [teasing]Yeah, but not now. You grew out of it.
Wallene: [giggle] Y'all...stop it!
If any of you know anything about us we adore our children. And we are sarcastic AND sound sarcastic when we say stuff like this. Well.....
Seems one of the Postal Ladies thought that she should call Wallene over and educate her that GOD loves her, no matter what her
Poor Wallene. The self restraint this child showed was amazing. The fact that her eyes didn't explode from her head while she kept from rolling them at this woman was really a feat to behold. She was polite - yes ma'am, thank you. Etc.
Pooldad and I were attempting to finish our transaction and I caught the snippets of "Listen to XXX song honey, it tells how God loves you for who you are. You are lovely." and "Do you have a radio? Oh good. Well a good station is XXXX FM. You go home and find that and listen to the shows and God's Word. You'll see. God loves everyone." The implication was even if her
HELLO!!
I want to buy stamps and mail a package. I was joking around with my kid. Which, we weren't loud. No one else heard us - but this postal worker took it upon herself to school my kid that even if we [implied] she was not cute anymore GOD still loved her.
I won't kid you - and y'all know - we are basic white bread. But suppose we had been Muslim or Jewish or Buddist - I don't know? How rude. Even with our belief in God her behavior was really too much.
I found the whole thing incredibly intrusive as the woman is an employee, not assisting us, doesn't know us or our religious affiliation and really? Simply wrong.
I don't need religion in my U.S. Post Office thank you.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Eye Candy
Although the television show "Las Vegas" is no longer on regular TV - thank goodness for syndication because everyday I get a little bit of yumminess to watch [TWICE!] between Noon and 2 pm.
Not only do I enjoy the plot lines, setting, humor and music [the music rocks!] I get to watch these three men for two whole hours.
Sigh.
Josh Duhamel
James Lesure
Tom Selleck
Not only do I enjoy the plot lines, setting, humor and music [the music rocks!] I get to watch these three men for two whole hours.
Sigh.
Josh Duhamel
James Lesure
Tom SelleckJames Caan used to be the lead actor and he was [also] easy on the eyes, but currently Mr. Selleck has his role. And that is just fine by me.
~
And this concludes the "How shallow IS Skippy" post for October. hee
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