No birdies

Today was the first time on the golf course this year. It was just "eh". I had some nice shots, but also plenty of crappy mistakes to go along with it. I didn't do well by any means, but I'll give myself a B- considering it was my first time out. That, and it was SUPER windy out there. I had to hang onto my hat at some holes, which was very distracting. We'll see how next week goes.

I was the only one that didn't lose any balls. I started and finished with the same one, which is what jumped me up from a C+. Go KB.

Someone left the cake out in the rain

I don't think that I can take it... cuz it took so long to bake it...

Gina will appreciate this, coming from a family that has two cakes at birthday parties.

The other night I stopped at Larry's for some wings to go. I ate them at home while watching Seinfeld. When I was done I had this incredible craving for something sweet to cap it off. I'm not normally a sweet tooth kind of gal... give me salsa or salty popcorn any day. But, I thought I was going to go crazy, so I ran over to the Pig and bought a dozen large M&M cookies and one of those little frozen Pepperidge Farm cakes. Know what I'm talking about, with the three layers? Mmm... vanilla bean.

I had three cookies that night and put the rest away. Yesterday morn I pulled the cake out of the fridge for breakfast and the girls' eyes lit up like Christmas. "Why didn't you tell us that was in the fridge??" Well, because then it wouldn't be a surprise. We never have cake for breakfast and I figured, what the hell. Kids need special treats, too. That's probably the fastest they ate breakfast in a long time.

I just ate the last piece this morn with my coffee. There's some guilt with it, but those cakes are small and it's something I rarely do. Plus, I'm getting ready for my long walk now and that makes it all seem OK. My other theory on all this is that I may as well splurge on delicious food while I can. I sense another smoothie and cream o' wheat period coming up when my ortho pimps me out.

Doctor recommended

I'm home today. I was going to work at the elementary school "field day", but they cancelled it due to crappy morning weather. Looks like it's finally starting to warm up a bit now.

So, I figured I'd work a few hours at home and take a 1/2 day vacation instead. I'm going to scoot over to pickup some lunch soon. You ever have that where there's plenty to eat in the fridge and cupboards, but it all looks like effort? I just want food now, not in 30 minutes. I have to be in the mood to cook. Right now I'm craving a deli sammich, which is easily accessible.

I feel a cold coming on, so I thought I'd grab a mini nap this aft, too... maybe start up my new book. It's just that kind of day! When I nap, I do it right. I don't bother with the couch. I'll go upstairs, get undressed and crawl into bed. Hey, if you're going to take the time out of your day to rest, make it an excellent experience.

And that's my day in a nutshell. Aren't you impressed?

Desk hoppin

Some of you may have seen this photo in The Press yesterday. Two women that work in a local high school office started using their exercise balls as chairs. They are working their stomach and back muscles, but also said they really feel it in their legs. Overall it's good exercise and much better for your posture. Me, I'm a sloucher and I admit it. It's an awful habit that's hard to steer away from.

So, Denise brought her ball into work today. She's sitting on it right now. When she was first propped on the ball I told her she looked too low, like she was sitting on the floor. She pumped it up a bit more and it's taught now. I bounced on it a bit and it was fun. I'm curious to see when/where she starts feeling it.

I have a ball. It's at home, in the back of my closet. I used it quite a bit when I first got it. Even when I moved to 4th Street. Then I packed it up when I bought the house and it hasn't been out since. There's some guilt for sure, so maybe I'll try to fit it into my schedule again. I'm not sure about bringing it to work. I'll wait and see how Denise does with it first.

Test run

I wish I had taken the scooter into work today. It's just been so damn chilly in the morn. I think the morning temps are supposed to pick up next week, so I'm going to give it a whirl on Monday. I'll probably do a practice run over the weekend to time it out. The trail won't be paved for a while yet, so I'll have to try a little busier road than I'd like... as long as they don't run me off the road. I'll bring the backpack and throw a little weight in there. Get the real life experience, you know? There's also storage room under the seat. Right now it seems like more effort to get my stuff packed, throwing the extra jacket on, etc. I'm sure it'll become routine after a while and I'll be like those little European travelers in no time.

I'll be jammin banjo hip hop

Just when I was starting to get comfortable. This morning my ortho told me that we're making incredible progress (you should see the before/after pics already) and we're ready for the next step. This is where he says I'm really going to hate him. In the next month we're going to tackle a few issues at once.

I'll have my lower braces put on in a few weeks... right before the 4th of July. I was actually starting to get used to the stupid metal and eating was becoming something that I enjoyed again. Looks like that'll all be changing. More achey teeth, sore tissue in the mouth and definitely more soft foods as I adjust to the lower. And I was just getting excited about grilling a lot more.

Then... ugh... we're getting ready to pull my baby eye tooth that has been ignored for the last 39 years of my life. It's this nasty little tooth that has been hiding since it's existence and my childhood dentist never felt the need to take care of it. I can feel the impacted adult eye tooth poking out of my upper gums. We're going to remove the nasty baby and slowly lower the adult through oral surgery. Pulling the adult tooth down can take anywhere from 6 months to a year, plus. Lovely. Picture me doing my best hillbilly impersonation. I'll have to start wearing bib overalls.

And it gets better. To pull the adult eye tooth down they attach a small gold chain to it, gently yanking it in baby steps. And he said we'll be able to see the gold chain (I asked). My Dr. is going to be pimping me out! I'll be a 40 year old pimped out redneck. Maybe I should consider calling the dump truck date back. Kidding!

So, yeah. If ever there was a time where I was feeling really pretty, I'm thinking this will be it. I may as well stop shaving my legs and doing my hair for a while. Why bother?? The only people looking my way will be ones laughing, not wanting. My Dr. did ask if there were any big events coming up so we could time out this beautiful experience. I told him we should just go in full force and get 'er done. I'd rather be ultra aggressive and hammer it out. The sooner this is over, the better. Big picture, I keep telling myself, big picture.

Mother Nature playing tricks

This morning was a little wake up call. It's flippin freezing out. I had to get gloves and hats out for the girls and I muttered a few words under my breath when walking through the parking lot at work. I'm fairly close to the big pond here and feel a huge difference in temps from home. This sucks.

I think the whole fam got a little sun overload this weekend. There are some pink shoulders and cheeks, not to mention slight exhaustion. It was good... we needed that welcome to summer even if today is a slap in the face. Lucky for me this is an even shorter week; I am off on Friday. The girls have field day at school and I'm going to volunteer the event - play some games!

Take that, you nasty Arabs

I definitely saved a few gallons of gas this weekend. We barely drove anywhere. The girls and I walked a few times when we had places to go, or just for recreation. Saturday we hung out at home with some friends and today I took a cruise on Vinnie after the parade. Their dad wanted to hang out with the girls for a while, so it gave me some driving time. I put my library books in the compartment under the seat and zoomed around town, dropping off the books. FUN. I came to an intersection close to home and saw three young guys coming towards me on scooters. They all started beeping and waving... so I did the same. I felt like such a cougar.

A new friendship

Dave dropped off the new scooter last night. The kids were pumped, to say the least. I'm not sure why, since they won't be able to ride it until they're in high school. Ali jumped right on it and I had to remind them that this was not a toy. Then I tucked it away in the garage for the night...

The girls are gone for a few hours today, so I decided to get Vinnie out for a ride. That's what I named the scooter, Vinnie. It's a Yamaha Vino and I thought a name was appropriate since we're going to be building a relationship for many years to come. I got my helmet, put on some tennies and started to realize that I was a bit nervous! The only time I rode one was last Wed at Dave's shop, and that was in the parking lot. This time was going to be on the road with big cars and trucks. Well, I hopped on Vinnie and started out slow down my road. Feeling pretty comfortable I looked down and saw that I was only going 20 mph. Sheesh, it felt a lot faster!

I cruised around a bit and started getting the hang of it in no time. At one point I was going 35 (that's what the speed limit was) and it seemed like I was cruising about 90. 35 is pretty quick on a little scooter like this. A truck behind me flew by and passed, obviously irritated that I wasn't speeding. It's sure an eye opener being on the other side of the fence like this. I'm a very impatient driver, always in a hurry to fly by someone myself... now I know what it's like and have a new appreciation for bicyclists and scooter riders.

Overall it was a good experience and I love little Vinnie! The thing is cool and I can't wait for the trail to open again so I can take him to work. I have to admit that it's a little chilly right now when zipping around, but I'll be fine if I dress for it. One thing I know for sure is that I'll never even consider driving Vinnie unless I'm 100% sober. Even one drink could affect my balance slightly and it's a risk I'd never take.

Locking the wallet

I could bitch on and on about the economy, but what's the point? You all know what's going on out there. Everyone feels it. Gas prices are skying and they say it's going to get downright nasty the next few years. Food prices are up, too. And now this morn they say that airlines are going to start charging for each bag that you check in so they can cover the fuel costs. Where does it end?

Everything we do now is affected by the state of the economy. Entertainment is expensive with restaurants raising prices and movies never getting any cheaper. People are steering away from vacations because there isn't a choice between driving or flying anymore... it all costs a bundle. People can't afford to heat their homes or clothe their children like they used to. It's come to the point where we need to start getting resourceful and fend for ourselves.

I have been pinching pennies anywhere possible lately. I downgraded our satellite tv package to the most basic option. I buy what's on special at the grocery store and create my weekly menus around that. I've stopped buying certain items that I used to (like a lot of meats and expensive fruits) and have simplified our meals. Plus I've been hanging clothes on the line when possible. I even planted some of my own veggies this year. Oh, and I bought myself that fun little scooter last night so I could save myself a pocketful of dollars each month. That scooter will pay for itself in no time.

I go to bed at night and wake in the morning with the same thoughts. How long will this last? Is this just how it's going to be from now on? Will being frugal become the norm for most people, instead of just the ones that we considered to be "tight"? How will I ever afford to retire, or more importantly... move to AZ? My salary certainly isn't increasing enough each year to cover the cost of living changes... how do people survive that make 1/2 what I do? I need answers!

Don't even think about it

Today I'm doing what I do every Wednesday. I count down the days until the weekend comes. That's how much I love my job. This used to be a great place to be. I really enjoyed coming in every morning and didn't sit at my desk dying to leave. Now I do.

Few things that have changed:
My best friend that worked here is no longer with us; she made the days very tolerable. The boss/owner of the company had great energy and spirit; he passed away last November. Eight coworkers (office) were let go in January. They fired the President in February. Three good friends of mine left the company in February/March. Ten more coworkers (production) were let go in May. We finally pulled out of bankruptcy in March, but have since been crippled by an auto strike in MI and the loss of a GM contract for patent issues.

So, yeah, this place is all that and a bag of chips. The company is moving at a very sloooow pace. Sales are low, people that I click with are few and motivation is at an all time gutter level. Hate to be Debbie Downer here, but the optimism can only stretch so far.

Then this morn I go to the local job search and see that it's been blocked from the company sometime since yesterday. I don't think so. I logged into the internet site that hosts our web filters and unchecked the job/employment category. Nobody is taking away the one thing I have left that keeps me from jumping out my 3rd floor window.

August Rush

I watched August Rush last weekend. What a great movie! Absolutely loved it. I'm a huge music lover, so that may have something to do with it, but it was very well written and the actors (although not big names besides Robin Williams) did an excellent job. Freddie Highmore is such a wonderful young actor.

In the beginning I thought - "boy, this is starting a little slow", but stay in your seat. It really picks up into a moving story. And the end - it captured a mixture of emotions for me.

Today a friend of mine gave me a copy of the soundtrack. Good stuff.

See it. Listen to it.

zoom - zoom - zoom

I don't know if you've seen a lot more bikes on the road lately, but I sure have. Bikes of all kinds. Scooters, motorcycles, pedal... everyone seems to be looking for alternate modes of transportation to work and just plain tooling around town. It looks like these ridiculous gas prices are here for the long haul, so why not seek other options? I've been thinking the same thing. While the idea of pedaling to work every day gives me the willies, I'm thinking that I could hop on a scooter, no problem. I live approx. 6 miles from work. Most of my route is between 25-40 mph. That is very doable on a scooter, to say the least.

I'm checking out the Yamaha shop tomorrow aft. A friend of mine is part owner and we briefly discussed what he has in inventory. He wants to give me a little tour of the place, and of course is hoping to sell me a scooter. I did some research and know what I'm looking for. Plus, Dave knows me well enough to size me with the right model. We'll see what happens.

The one model I've been looking at (that Dave carries) runs 110 mpg. That's just batshit crazy. While I wouldn't take it to work every day, I figure 2-3 days/week would be a great help. Plus there's the running of little errands and other places that are a little far to walk. I think it's going to be fun! The girls won't be as pumped as me of course, because they won't be able to ride it. Another seven years and Alison will have her license... then she'll appreciate it!

I'm going to have to grow my hair long again so I can pony it every day. Otherwise I'll be having permanent bad hair weeks.

Vacation over

It was tough getting up for work today, having those days off. You know how you wake and are unsure of what day it is or where you have to be? That was me about 5:30a. It felt good to get up and motivate after the long weekend, though.

I feel completely rejuvenated today. I'm sure I'll feel differently by the end of the day, but right now it's all good. It's so refreshing to get away from the crap at work and do what you want to do at home... on your own schedule. I could retire right now and stay busy, no problem.

This week we get back to the ole grind, though. Ali starts baseball on Wed, I continue with another HR class and the GScout banquet is on Thursday eve. We don't have much planned for Memorial weekend, other than that Ali wants to setup her new croquet set. I'm game for that... sounds like fun!

Dear John

He called me twice today. The first one was at 9:30a. ???
It's late in the eve now and I just sent him a message so he wouldn't be left hanging. Now my life is back as it was two days ago... just picking right back up from where I left off. Kinda like it better this way. No hassles, no drama. I know what to expect each day, although my life is anything but predictable.

One thing's for sure. I'm glad I was able to give you all a good chuckle at my expense. Seriously.

Shaking head...

My buddy, Kuss, sent me this today.
Heh, heh, heh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HmkwBuCdMs&feature=email

I heard banjos

So, here's how the date went last night. He called me in the late aft and he was up for pizza and a beer. He had no suggestions to offer and left me with the decision. I was a little irritated by that because he mentioned going out for pizza a few times, but then made me come up with a place. (Can you tell where this is heading?)

I suggested my favorite pizza joint (yes, Bruiz) and thought we could meet there. It's all easier that way. He thought he should pick me up. OK, fine. He reminds me that he'll be picking me up in his work truck. OK, fine again. I can handle it. I get all showered and pretty and am waiting when he pulls in the drive. He picked me up in a fucking dump truck. A full fledged dump truck with the name of his farm on the side of it. Not kidding. (Sometimes I wish I could make these stories up, because then it wouldn't be my real life.)

I gave him a two second tour of the house and wanted to get going. John and Todd were coming over to work on my shed in 20 min. and I didn't want to be home when they got there. I could just see John's expression when he saw the truck. So, we get in the truck and it's absolutely filthy. As in dirt on the floor, dash, seats, everywhere. I was wearing black capris and all I could think of was how much dirt I was going to have on my ass when I got out. I looked forward at my clean CR-V and just really wanted to drive myself, but how could I bring that up??

We start backing out of the drive and the truck goes BEEP - BEEP - BEEP - BEEP. I was mortified. I didn't know if I should duck so the neighbors didn't see me or just jump out of the moving vehicle. [OK, I'm laughing about it now, but last night, not so much.] The whole way to the pizza joint I was very uncomfortable. I think I sat real stiff, afraid of touching anything, with my purse on my lap. Conversation was fine, but it surely wasn't my impression of how I thought the date was going to start out.

I told him to park in the back when we got there, because that's where I usually park and because I was so fricken embarrassed! We got a drink at the bar, ordered our pizza and talked for over an hour. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't where I wanted to be. I surely wasn't feeling a connection with Mike. He builds houses to sell and has a tree removal business, plus runs a hobby farm. I guess I expected this handy guy that was still very with the times. He wasn't. He appeared to be very farmish-country, almost with a slight twang in his voice at times. He talked out of the side of his mouth, sort of like a cowboy with a secret. You know what I mean?? At one point I was talking about introverts and extroverts. He had no idea what I was talking about. I even repeated myself and he shook his head, asking what that meant. OK, I'm not walking around with multiple master's degrees or anything, but come on.

After dinner we walked to a pub right around the corner for two more drinks. I really wanted to go home, but I was afraid that John and Todd were still at my house, so I wanted to wait until it was really dark out - assuming they'd then be gone. I refused to have them see me dropped off in that truck. Somewhere in conversation I must've asked him if he worked on Saturdays. He sure read into that because he kept asking why I wanted to know, as if I was asking him to go out again today. Trust me - last thing on my mind.

It was almost 10p and I figured the coast was clear at home, so I told him we should boogie. On the ride home he asked what happens when I get to the house. I simply replied, "I go to bed." He seemed to be fishing for the invite in, but I sure as hell wasn't biting. When we pulled in the drive he told me that he'll be waiting for a phone call... and he'll be waiting a loooong time. I gave my thanks, said good-bye and jumped out of the dump truck [can you visualize this?]. I was so glad to be home. As I stood in the kitchen I heard BEEP - BEEP - BEEP - BEEP.

It's not that he was a bad person, or creepy. But I could tell that he was into me by some of the comments he made and it just wasn't there for me. There are so many things that he said that assured me he wasn't my type. He plans on living on that farm until he dies - he'd never sell it. That doesn't fit into my plan at all. And he was a little hick. I feel like such a bitch, but it is what it is. No biggie, it's over and I carry on as always. If he keeps contacting me I'll have to explain that we simply have nothing in common. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The day is over

I really want to tell you about my date tonight, but I'm exhausted and my body is aching from all the physical work I did the last two days. Seriously...my legs are stiff and throbbing.

I'm tired and I had three drinks...so I'm going to bed.
More tomorrow. Trust me - it's priceless.

A day doing what I enjoy

Whew! I'm exhausted! It's an incredibly beautiful day and I'm on vacation!! I took today and tomorrow off to get a list of chores done at home. Today I fertilized the lawn, painted a bunch of plywood (for my new shed floor) and am currently hauling barrows and barrows of mulch. I had to come in for a sammich break because it's going on 1:00p and I haven't eaten yet. I hate to stop, but I'll whither away if I don't have food.

So, I talked to my new friend this morn. His name is Mike. He called for the first time and it went well. He's a pretty busy guy; self employed with a few different business ventures going on at once. Somehow my new shed that we're building came up in conversation. He said it's too bad that I didn't know him two weeks ago. He would've come over and built it for me in a day. He is incredibly handy, and that is hot. What's not to love about a man that wants to come over and build me things?? We're going to meet tomorrow or Sat. Depends on his work schedule... we'll chat more tomorrow.

There's way too much info to tell you, but he's a very normal, decent guy that really has his shit together. We have common friends (coincidentally), so I know he's not some crazy person. The only thing that could go wrong (and has in the past) is that we just don't feel that magical aura between us. He's an attractive man, though, so cross fingers.

And that's all I got for today. I have to get my tail back outside to the mulch pile. What a beautiful day it is!

It was thiiiis big

If a dog barks in the middle of the night, do you hear it? Hell yes!
Stupid hound. Some loser dog in the neighborhood was yapping away at 3:30a. This is definitely one of my biggest peeves. I don't necessarily blame the dog because hey, he's just doing what dogs do. I blame the owners. A - Why is the dog up at this time? and B - Why are the owners not stopping him? How can they not hear the barking in their own yard if I can hear it houses away with my windows closed?? Hate that.

To help muffle the noise (at 4:00a) I turned on the tv and flicked around, because there's so much to watch at that time of morning. I ended up on the SRI channel somehow, which was showing an infomercial for male enhancement. Talk about the cheesiest thing I've ever seen. This geeky looking guy that probably could have used the product himself was advertising ExtenZe. It's a pill that gives guys the power and size to become real men. Yes, they say it actually makes the penis grow larger. Whatever.

There were three sleazy chicks in tight tanks sitting on a couch being interviewed by geeky guy and this other completely skanky woman with her nipples sticking out. The three gals were telling stories of past experiences. How size really does matter and what they need to be fulfilled. One gal said she dated a guy for four years but rarely slept with him because he wasn't big enough. It took her four years to figure out that he wasn't able to toot her horn? And how bitchy of her.

The skanky host lady then hit the streets and was approaching people, asking if they ever heard of ExtenZe. Every guy said, "Oh yes, and I use it. I'm bigger now and have more stamina." What are the chances that she'd find even one guy on the street that used it, let alone one that would admit it on camera?? And their wives just stood in the back with big grins on their faces.

Pathetic television, all I have to say. Even if it is on at 4:00a, it ranks right up there with cheesy porn. A bunch of bad actors selling themselves for a sleazy product that doesn't work. At what price would you dress up like a ho and talk about how big you need it to be to get satisfied? Have you no shame?

Never without a hitch

The birthday dinner was a little frustrating tonight, but we made it work.
First, I could not get the grill to stay lit. The wind was pretty strong and the burners kept going out. I was getting quite Td after a while and eventually had to put the chicken in the oven. I promised Ali her teriyaki chicken, and damn it, she was getting it. It ended up pretty good, but still not the same as on the grill.

As I was going in and out of the house during the grilling attempt I slipped on the wooden stairs by the back hall. My lower back scraped each step as I slid down and man, did I howl a few choice words. By the time I got up and gathered all my junk on the ground I looked out the back window, and there's Jules, sitting in a folding chair drinking her juice. Not a care in the world. Her mother almost broke a hip and she's pretending she's on the sandy beaches of Maui.

After dinner we played a few games of dominoes and my cousins stopped by for a while.
My back hurts like hell, but I'm alive. Tomorrow will be the true test.

You're da bomb

Happy Birthday to my little sunshine, Alison. The kid turns nine today. She really is one person that gets me through some hard days. Her upbeat, caring personality can turn my frown upside down. She always has my best interest at heart and shows it. She's my biggest fan.

Alison is a bright child whose brain is bigger than her head. She's always thinking... those wheels turn all day long. There are times where I get exhausted by the questions, but I have to remind myself that this is how these kids learn. Not only is my job to teach them math and how to crack an egg, but also life's little lessons that we experience every day. And Alison is up for the challenge. She wants to help me around the house in any way possible and is always looking for a way to please me (unlike her lazy little sister). And every night when I tuck her into bed she has at least two more questions for me that stem from something that happened that day. Never fails. It's a wonder how she sleeps with that full brain.

There's something pretty cool about Alison that's hard to explain. She loves to get dirty, play with frogs, throw a football and write stories. She's real even tempered and is a whiz with technology. She also has a kindness with animals... just the other day she was lying in the grass with the neighbor's dogs. One of them was real shy and Ali took baby steps into making her comfortable, eventually getting Marley to sit on her lap. It was real important to her. My favorite thing about Ali is that she always has a smile on her face. She's just a fun kid to have around and I thank God every day for her.

So, happy day to my little bundle of personality (that almost has the same shoe size as me). She's one in a million.

SWF seeks normal guy

Well, I did it. I contacted that guy online that I told you about. I just really didn't want to, but then thought what the hell. You only live once, right? He appears real interested in talking and has commented that he looks forward to hearing from me again. So...that's it. I could tell you all the hairy details like what he does for a living and what his family life is like, but that would kill the suspense. I think it's best if I get to know him first and actually meet him. He has great potential so far and I don't see some creepy cat lover emerging from within or anything. More info to come....

As I sit here chuckling - some of you may remember stories of past guys I have met. Here are a few quick details that I still find amusing:

• One guy wanted to be my sugar daddy, his words. I believe he had a family back in Chicago and wanted fun during the week as he was a contract employee for Kohler. Creep.
• One guy was three years younger than me and living with his mom. I couldn't get past that.
• Oh, and there was this guy with a German name like Horst or something. He would send me poems, addressed to "his fair lady". The best part - he looked just like Captain Kangaroo! I can't make this shit up, people.

My favorite was John. He started telling me about his sperm count in his opening email. This is the first time I heard from the guy! I don't know why, but I saved the message. Probably because Carol and I laughed for about 90 minutes when we read it and I didn't have the heart to delete something this good. So here it is... a pure, unedited version:

I just love the area so much I always wanted to live there. I thought this would be a nice community to grow up in and raise a family because there is so much to do so close at hand. Speaking of kids; I don't have any but thats not because I didn't try. We ex wanted kids but I think not too strongly because we were going to adopt but we only drove to Madison Wisconsin twice for that and she stopped caring about it. You see we can't have kids because of me. We tried to have kids for about ten years but when I went to the doctors office he basically said to me i'm so low in the sperm count that I'm 1-5 million sperm when the average is 50. He also had said that my sperm are very strong and given the right time it would be possible but that never happened. Well, I'm getting kinda windy I might be going a little strong for my first email to you but thats what my friends have always said about me is its never boring around me.I thought of leaving my primary photo off the sight also because people would pick me for who I am and not my picture. I know i'm not protraying myself to be handsome but I think I'm fair. So maybe you would like to send me a photo of yourself but if you didn't I'll understand because we don't really know each other yet and we live so close. Well i'm going to go over to my friends house now so I'll talk to you later.

But they're strong swimmers. And that was the last time I had communication with John.

The job that can make you cry and laugh in 30 minutes time

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful, caring friends of mine that are mothers. It's no easy feat and I feel your pain. Oh, kidding! Those little shits bring plenty of joy to my life, as well. Just yesterday I hung a new tree swing up in the backyard and you think I would've bought them a new puppy or something. They were very happy...

This morn they made me breakfast in bed. We planned it out a bit last night (because I didn't want them whipping out the eggs and frying pan), so they made me a waffle, muffin and coffee. And they did quite well I must add. I told Lisa that I should just leave $5 on the counter and have them run over to Qmart for Krispy Kremes!
The rainy, gloomy day is keeping us inside, much to our disappointment. So, we're going to do what all the ladies do when the seasons change. We're going to pack up the sweaters, bring out the skirts and capris and organize our closets. Girl stuff. We'll bring a hanging plant over to Janie this aft. She has to work until 3:00p.

I just noticed that my economy stimulus check was deposited on Friday. Not that it'll go very far, but thanks George [rolling eyes]. I put a few dollars into my savings already. Then I'll pay off my summer class, make an extra payment on the braces and use the rest to get mulch and plants for the yard. Not overly exciting, or stimulating for that matter, but it is what it is.

Off to the closet reorg. Excitement at its best.

got milk?

I don't care what anyone says. This woman is either on drugs or should be.

It's a happy Mother's Day for an Arkansas woman — she's pregnant with her 18th child. Michelle Duggar, 41, is due on New Year's Day, and the latest addition will join seven sisters and 10 brothers. There are two sets of twins. The Duggars' oldest child, Josh, is 20, and the youngest, Jennifer, is nine months old.

The fast-growing family lives in Tontitown in northwest Arkansas in a 7,000-square-foot home. All the children — whose names start with the letter J — are home-schooled. Duggar has been been pregnant for more than 11 years of her life, and the family is in the process of filming another series for Discovery Health.

The new show looks at life inside the Duggar home, where chores — or "jurisdictions" — are assigned to each child. One episode of the new show involves a "jurisdiction swap," where the boys do chores traditionally assigned to the girls, and vice versa, Duggar said. "The girls swapped jurisdictions, changing tires, working in the garages, mowing the grass," she said. "The boys got to cook supper from start to finish, clean the bathrooms," among other chores.

Duggar said she's six weeks along and the pregnancy is going well. She and her husband, Jim Bob Duggar, said they'll keep having children as long as God wills it. "The success in a family is first off, a love for God, and secondly, treating each other like you want to be treated," Jim Bob Duggar said. "Our goal is for each one of our children to be best friends, and everybody working together to serve each other makes that happen."

The other Duggar children, in between Joshua and Jennifer, are Jana, 18; John-David, 18; Jill, 16; Jessa, 15; Jinger, 14; Joseph, 13; Josiah, 11; Joy-Anna, 10; Jeremiah, 9; Jedidiah, 9; Jason, 7; James, 6; Justin, 5; Jackson, 3; and Johannah, 2.

Jim Bob (pick one, dude) is a realtor. How do they afford this?? Their newly built house is colossal. They say they live on a $5000/month budget. I simply don't understand. And since I have no desire to ever walk in their shoes for 15 minutes... it's all OK by me. And then I found this photo and nearly tore a stomach muscle. [click to embiggen]

One gal's trash is another gal's treasure

Did I ever tell you about the cute garbage man that came on Tuesday mornings? I'm on the third floor and I have this huge window that overlooks North Ave. I see plenty. On Tuesdays (between 9:30-10:30) the Waste Mgmt guy would pull up right under my window and load up the weekly company trash. Every time he drove up he would look up here. Always... not exaggerating. It may have something to do with the fact that my desk is right next to the window and I'm very visible from the street. Either that, or I'm just that stunning.

We would look at each other every week and I'd have to turn away, because I do get slightly embarrassed at times. Then Denise started to run in here once in a while and wave at him. That opened up a whole new can of worms. Before you know it we were like that Coke commercial - where the office ladies would watch the construction guy out the window. Finally one day I told Denise to hike her tail down there and find out if the guy was single. She did, and he wasn't. But she did say that he was much hotter in person.

So, I figured that the excitement was over and I'd forget about this garbage man. Well, he kept looking up here each Tuesday, waving. Why would he continue with that? What an incredible flirt. Then one day a different guy pulls in (not as attractive, but not ugly by any means) and HE looks up and waves at me. I think I blushed! Did his buddy tell him to do that, or is that standard garbage man protocol?? What is going on here?

Well, the sad morale of this story is that the garbage men eventually stopped coming. The other day I was thinking "hey, where are those guys?" After a while I noticed their absence and it started to bum me out. Innocent as it was, it sort of made my day. I'm sure they're still stopping by sometime during the week because hey, we're still producing plenty of trash. Just not on my clock.

What's that smell?

I almost got taken out by a skunk last night. And I would've been Td.
I was walking out of school and honestly wasn't paying much attention to the surroundings. I was listening to voicemail on my cell. I heard a gal behind me yell "oh, shit", so I stopped. I looked back at her and then turned to see what she was looking at. Right in front of me was this big ass skunk. The lighting on the path that leads to the parking lot isn't that great, so he blended into the darkness fairly well. We both stood in silence for a minute and then he ran off. She looked to see where he went, but that wasn't a real priority of mine. I just wanted to get the heck out of dodge.

I've never been sprayed by a skunk, but something tells me it would've been a bad experience that literally would've stuck with me for a long time.

Home is where the heart is

I've become addicted to HGTV. Years ago we watched it for the do-it-yourself projects. That's when everyone was sponge painting and stenciling, but that's all out and solid colors are in. Now I'm watching it for the home value shows. Where people are looking to buy in a new area and they compare three houses, or they find out what their homes are worth to determine if they'll get their money back out of it after renovations. It's very enlightening to see what homes are valued at in other parts of the country, or even the world. Last night a couple bought a ruin in Portugal. The place barely had walls, let alone electricity and running water. It was amazing what they had done to the place after a year. The house wasn't even liveable at first, but it cost more than my home - purely for the breathtaking view and country lifestyle.

Not that I ever plan to live in Portugal, but it's good to know where I could live at what price. I like to know what I'll get for my money. In some parts of the country I could afford a large, beautiful, newly built home. In others I'd be lucky to rent a one bedroom apt without closets. It's all relative to where you want to be and what style of living you're looking for.

It's all so interesting to me. At the end of the night I would normally read my book or finish up some homework after I put the girls to bed. Now I'm watching House Hunters at 10p and having a hard time turning it off. They say you always want what you don't have. Or maybe in my case - you want to be where you're not.

Open the damn door... I want my enchilada!!

What kind of Mexican restaurant is closed on freakin Cinco de Mayo?? Seriously. I couldn't believe it. We were meeting at 5p and I was a little early, as usual. As I was driving down the street I noticed all the available parking and found it odd. Soon as I parked rock star (in front of the door) I saw that none of the lights were on, including the Corona neon signs. That wasn't looking good. Sure enough, the door said Closed - Mondays. Wouldn't you think they'd make an exception for this one day?? It has to be their biggest day of the year. I called Lisa on her cell and managed to reach her enroute. We picked another place down on Indiana. Now we had to find the other two ladies and I didn't have their cells. Lisa said she'd go to the other place, get our name on the list and order some daiquiris. I was waiting for the other two ladies to show.

So I sat in my car for about 30 min. During that time there were dozens of vehicles that pulled up, looking to eat Mexican food and celebrate the day. Cars pulled in, read the door and left. Some people got out, went up to the door and yanked on the handle a few times. Others smashed their face up to the window, looking to see if anyone was inside. They were all clearly as perplexed as I was... why was the most popular Mexican restaurant in the area closed on Cinco de Mayo? One lady was all dressed in red and denim with a chili pepper scarf around her neck. Others were waiting outside for friends to show, like me.

I called Lisa back at 5:15 and said "hey". I'm sick of sitting here. I'm a very impatient person to begin with, I admit it, and I'm even more antsy when it comes to being punctual. I hate waiting for people. We weren't sure what the proper etiquette was for waiting time, but I decided leaving a note on the door was sufficient. Besides, Lisa said my daiquiri was starting to melt!

I had paper and a sharpie, but had no clue how I was going to stick the note on the door of the restaurant. Then I saw some Trident in the bottom of my little storage compartment. I stuck a piece in my mouth and chewed rapidly... I wanted to get going and needed soft gum. I stuck the note with the gum and it seemed to be working! When I drove away in the car it was still sticking to the door.

When I got to the new restaurant Lisa was waiting with drinks in the entrance. She had called the homes of both missing ladies and left messages. I told her that the one time I actually wanted gum to stick to something it probably wouldn't!! Well, about 10 minutes later they walked in. They said they saw something hanging on the door, but didn't go read it. They ended up calling home and got the message. We ate a fantastic dinner, had two drinks and caught up a bit on our lives. It didn't have the same energy without Carol there, that's for sure. But, I printed off this picture of her wearing a sombrero and set that on our table during dinner. And Sheryl had made pins with Carol's pic for all of us to wear. She was there in spirit.

Oh, and we saw quite a few people walking into restaurant #2 that I recognized from the street of restaurant #1. We wondered if they saw my note and thought "great idea!"... funny.

OLE!!

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! This is one of my favorite holidays. Not that it's widely celebrated or anything, but there's nothing like some good ole Mexican food and music. It's a very high energy, festive atmosphere. Gotta love it.

In the past I've spent this day with a group of friends that sort of came together through me and Carol. Our first was at Tejanos on 05/05/05. THAT was a party. Live music, raffles and a gay dancing waiter that sang karaoke. Honestly, it doesn't get much better than that.

There was also a time where Carol wasn't up for the party, so we brought Cinco de Mayo to her. We showed up at her door with Mexican music jamming, dressed like a bunch of muchachos. We had food, drink and most importantly... the entertainment (US). The look of surprise on her face was priceless.This year will be a little bittersweet. We're still going to meet for dinner tonight, but it won't be the same. We'll honor Carol and toast a drink (or two) to her, but Carol's absence will be highly noted. Hopefully the festive atmosphere will allow us to celebrate her spirit and remember the laughs we had in previous years.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo to you all...

There's a time and place

It's 8:38 on a Sunday night and it's dark. My neighbor is cutting his grass. Why would anyone pick such a time to cut grass?? I heard a mower start when I was tucking Ali in so I looked out her window, wondering who the hell that could be. Now I'm sitting downstairs trying to read and it's really annoying me. I would consider cutting after 8p just like cutting before 8a. It's something you just don't do out of courtesy.

Happy birthday to me

Well, I had a fabulous birthday weekend. Thanks to all that contributed and helped me celebrate. Thanks to Sara, John, Todd and Kuss for treating me to some great food and drink. Props to MJ for remembering me with the funny card. And to all the old friends that I haven't seen in ages... it was a thrill to spend my day with you. I'm a little tired this morn, but I'm glad I didn't stay home like I had initially planned. You only get out and party like a rock star on your 40th birthday once, right??

Today it's back to the ole grind. I need to get outside and give a little TLC to my yard. First things first, though. I'm treating myself to a big breakfast!

Almost there

Well, tomorrow's the big day. I turn 40. I'm not too worked up about it. Most of my birthdays are uneventful, although I did have a pretty great time last year with the girls at Big Jimmy's. I tend not to expect much because then there's no chance for disappointment. Like I told Sara - it's not like anyone whisked me away on an airplane for a surprise trip any other year - sort of doubt it's going to happen now.

The age thing was never an issue for me. None of the milestone years affected how I viewed my life. I may look a bit older each year, but I think I'm keeping it all together pretty well if I do say so myself. People are surprised when I tell them my age and that's enough to make any woman feel 10 years younger. Sure, there are days when I look in the mirror and say "holy crap". My face has thinned, some wrinkles developed and there are those pesky white wirey hairs that poke out of the top of my head. The important thing is how you feel about yourself and the confidence that you give off. I plan to age as gracefully as I can with staying in shape and taking care of myself. Keeping active physically and mentally has helped... and I feel good. I'm not out running marathons or anything, but I'm healthy and don't feel any older than I did before children.

I had planned on laying low this weekend and avoiding the big celebration. I have a huge list of chores for around the house, as usual, and wanted to concentrate on productivity. Well, turns out I'll be getting out of the house after all. I have a lunch date with friends this aft. Tonight I'm heading out for a little happy hour drink with Sara. Tomorrow night Kuss offered to treat me to dinner and then we're hitting a 40th bday party. Not mine... but I'll party like it was. Oh, and Monday is the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. I'm going to be exhausted by Tuesday, but 40 only comes once.

My parents left a card in my mailbox yesterday. It had $40 in it. Kinda cute. And yes, they did give me $39 last year.

A night at the Improv

I absolutely loved my HR class and I'm very surprised by this. Half of the students were people that I already knew, so that was fine. The instructor ended up being this complete jokester that was nonstop laughs. The guy killed me. I've never laughed like that in a class, ever. I'm guessing he was the class clown as a kid and the life of the party in college. For you locals, he used to be part owner of Triple Play. He and his partner decided to sell the business and he ended up teaching. I really think he's found his calling because he has that way of making people feel comfortable.

One of the activities we did was pick a partner that we didn't know and interview them. He gave us a select list of questions to ask, ranging from "what's unusual about you" to "what's your long term career goal". Then we had to introduce our partners to the class. One girl, Mindy, said that she liked older men and married one that was 13 yrs her senior. Her partner, Andy, said that he had to marry his wife after six months of dating so they could sleep in the same bedroom (the in-laws' rule). Our instructor completely went off on a tangent with those two and it turned into an ad-lib comedy routine. Everything from Cougars to Sugar Daddies.

So yeah, I'm looking forward to next week! I have him for a class this summer, too, but that one is online. I can't imagine he's as funny via chat sessions, but I bet he'll give it a shot!