Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Staring Makes Me Paranoid

I AM NOT TIRED. Talk about getting a complex, I think if one more person asks me that I might have to beat them with my shoe. Or kill them, I can't decide which.

Last night, my group met with the Chief of Police among other key emergency personnel for the purpose of discussing a special request. As soon as I walked into our meeting room the Chief (yes, I was late, thanks for noticing) said this ...

"Here comes trouble ..." Sure laugh, everyone else did. I turned a couple shades of red, while I attempted to play it cool ... change the subject ... hand out materials ... clear my throat, die a little.

As I took my usual notes during the discussion I would catch his eye. He was sitting on the opposite side of the table and four people to my right. Each time I looked up, he was looking at me. Analyzing. I half expected him to pull me aside at the end of the meeting to make sure, oh I don't know, that I hadn't gone completely INSANE.

What are the odds ... I asked myself ... that he knows on the same day I was pulled over by one of his guys, hysterically crying (that alone stands out, I would think) and given a warning, that my son was ALSO reported as possibly missing. ~sigh~

That's the downside of knowing everyone in Town. They know you.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Last Week - In Pictures



Endless tries to fix it.



Mess I hate.




Money I don't have.



Pizza makes us smile.


I am weird for taking pictures of us eating pizza.



What?



Priceless.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Sunday Stealing: The Ginourmous MeMe

1. Are you single? Nope. I am lucky to have spent very little of my adult life single.

2. Are your parents still married? They are, married 45 years.

3. Are you in love? I am, very much so.

4. Do you believe in love at first sight? I did not, until I met my husband.

5. Who ended your last relationship? I did.

6. Have you ever been hurt by a break up? Yes.

7. Have you ever broken someone’s heart? Many.

8. Have you ever had a secret admirer? Yes, a few that I know of.

9. Prefer love or lust? Both

10. Prefer a few best friends or many regular friends? A few best friends.

11. Wild night out or romantic night in? Hard to choose. Both?

12. Back in the day: Been caught sneaking out? I snuck. I didn't get caught.

13. Ever wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ~sigh~ yes.

14. Who are/is your best friend(s)? Two very special people. One I've known for eight years and one I've never met.

15. Ever wanted to disappear? Hell yes.

16. First attraction: Smile or eyes? Muscles!

17. Prefer intelligence or attraction? I want it all.

18. Last phone call you received? My teenage girl, wanting me to bring something to her.

19. Last thing you drank? My morning cola.

20. Before your current one, when was your last relationship? Eighteen years ago.

21. Do you and your family get along? Yes and they drive me crazy.

22. Would you say you have a "screwed up life"? Thankfully no.

23. Have you ever gotten kicked out somewhere? If yes, do tell. I got kicked out of religious education class because I couldn't stop laughing.

24. Do you trust all your friends? Nope.

25. Who knows the most about you? My husband, but only after sixteen years and I think I still sometimes confuse him.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

A Note On The Floor (that I picked up and read)

What would you do if you were going out with someone else but missing one of your ex's.

If this other kid's really is sorry for what he did before than I think you should talk to him about just being your friend for now. Stay with A. for now. You have a good feeling about him still, right? So stay with him. Don't get any relationships into jeopardy until your positive the other guy's desperate for another chance.

Yeah but I know N. is telling the truth. Also I really miss N. as well. But I also really love A. I just don't know what to do.

Don't be so sure, guys can be great fakes. Even if you feel he's telling the truth, if something goes wrong all the drama would have been for nothing. Even if your heart loves both, you should put your head in the mix too. A. hasn't wronged you, yet N. has.

Yeah but I could tell that the reason N. told me wasn't really the reason because he stuttered.

He still said it. Stuttering can also be a nervous habit. If your positive on that, then I can say if he liked you honestly that he would have told you the truth.

True but I still don't know what to do but you tried. Thank you anyway.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Ranking High On The Worst Day Ever

  1. Someone is accessing my personal files that I have on the desktop of my computer at work. I won't get into the details, but I know this and it's been going on for several months. Yesterday, I sat at the accountant's desk to do some work and I see that his computer has accessed this E://My Stuff/Private/dprojectchart.xls. What the HELL?!?!?! (note: There is no E: drive I checked but when I put in my jump drive, it popped up as E: drive, so this guy copied ALL MY PERSONAL FILES)
  2. Thinking about #1 as I went to run my errands at lunchtime, I get pulled over for failing to stop at a stop-sign (it's a $100 fine, in case you were wondering). I am already under a huge amount of stress, police give me anxiety. I cannot even talk to the guy because I am sobbing. He actually asked me what was wrong (like in my state of mind I can put into a tiny package the difficulties of my life). I just told him (between sobs) to do what he had to do and I would JUST DEAL WITH. (he gave me a warning and got the heck out of there as fast as he could)
  3. Finally making it through my day, coming home and relaxing for an hour before realizing I completely FORGOT to pick up my son at school. AN HOUR PEOPLE the school is now closed. I rush over there, search the sidewalks for my boy walking, I get to the school, I run through the building and there. is. no. sign. of. him. anywhere. I talked to a couple of teachers who are on their way out and they give me a couple of helpful suggestions. I hop in my car and search more.
  4. Find out he did walk home, the longest route you could possible take. I hug him and don't let go. Last night, the truant officer stopped by to make sure that we found him, they were preparing to put out an Amber Alert.
  5. I cannot make this stuff up if I tried.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Just Get It Over With

Why do certain aspects of every day suck? It's very rare that you have a single day where everything is just wonderful and perfect and there are no issues.

Oh yes, the sink saga continues. Progress but the latest involves the need for a torch of some kind.

I am struggling with working and interacting with men, all day, everyday. My night work? The same thing. I have so few women in my life. I could go a whole day without even speaking to one (children aside). I used to like it. Now I don't. Men are big on solving. So if I share any of my personal life life with any of these men I work with, they want to give me a solution or they half listen. Or they just don't get it.

None of that is helping me, grow as a person. If anything I am feeling stunted.

The latest round of new girlfriends in my life, I have zero tolerance for. (and not you guys, so don't go thinking I am speaking about any one of you) They tell me about their lives and I'm less than interested in it. Heck, I try not to yawn. We have moments were we get along great and have a good time. And then the tide turns, and I feel like they are over-baring so I back off. It doesn't help that these two in particular were friends with each other long before I came along.

I try not to think about it, but I have a feeling that they talk about me, to each other.

~sigh~

What I thought was a benefit, being friendly with my daughter's friend's mothers, is not what I has turned out to be. When it comes right down to it, I am protective of my child and, in their case, at the expense of the friendships, I guess.

Well enough cryptic talk.
I must sleep.

Appreciating Our Ancestors ...

Well the sink saga continues .... there was no progress made last night, due largely in part to? I have no idea what, exhaustion perhaps? When it is man versus the sink PLUS a long 11 hour day. Sink wins.

It's wearing on me, Mrs. Type A, I can tell ya that. Last night after a lame dinner, I hauled no less than three piles of dishes upstairs to our bathtub. I washed them all. While that may sound great, it really wasn't enough. Remember my dishwasher? Yeah, it's full of the dishes we use constantly.

And right now it's permeated with brown water bleach smell. Not pretty. (and will my glasses ever smell normal again? Stay tuned)

Speaking of the dishwasher it filled back up. So yes, that was fun ... bailing out skanky draino water. I am hoping today we find and snake the clog.

Because this whole doing dishes is the tub? Sucks.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Everything But ...


My entire weekend was spent stressing about the kitchen sink. We have alot of history, this sink and I. When we looked at the house and through the inspection, this sink? Worked fine. But within 24 hours of us moving in? Drippage. Major drippage. So we replace the faucet, install shut off valves.

Couple years later?

Replace the faucet again. And again.

Then when the cold water starts leaking, just use the shut off. Status quo for four more years. Just recently (and not pictured) we reached the point where the hot water started leaking, so the whole thing was upgraded. I think excellent. But then the garbage disposal broke. (I cannot make this stuff up)

Finally fixed, I thought me and the sink, could live in harmony. Nope. This weekend? It's clogged so bad that two jugs of draino, many pans of hot water later ... and Sunday night ... still no go.

There was drain snaking (and swear words) and exposing of various turns in the drain pipe, to no avail.

All weekend stressing about it.

Tomorrow my man is going to try snaking it from the basement up. It's going to be ugly and until then? I have no water on the first floor of my house.

Gah!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Working For The Weekend

Dudes!

I cannot even begin to put into words how long this week was. On top of that it is VERY EXTREMELY INCREDIBLY hard not to talk about all the baloney that is going on at work.

Some of it really bothers me.

For example (and this is a generic example ...m'kay?)

My boss wants coffee. So he asks one of the other guys in the office to make it as we are heading into an important meeting. The guy he asked? Got pissed.

Why? Because I'm the Secretary. More so, I am THE BOSS's Secretary. Therefore I should make the coffee.

Fine. Except I don't drink coffee. I don't like how it smells and coffee grounds make me gag. But hey, it's MY JOB.

~nods head~

I am so glad today is the last day of the week.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

End Of Story

Today was a long ass day ...

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Avoidance

Yesterday was a long day. While many people were out celebrating the luck of the Irish and drinking green beer, I was working.

Between my day job and my night job ... I could have used some green beer, or any beer really and I don't drink.

I got through it. Like we all do, you put your game face on and you go with it. Maybe dodge a pie in the face or two. (or not, I'm trying to not talk about work here, but it's consuming me)

Finally my day was over at around 10 PM. My teenager came in, asking if she could talk to just me. (cue the anticipation music here) So I went out into the hallway because she wanted privacy.

"Can I say home tomorrow" She said to me with a long face.

"Why" Behind this simple one word question is a whole host of things. I search my mind to when she was playing with her baby sister, she seemed fine. Then I think about dinner and how I made spaghetti, which she ate all of. Then I think about her phone call to me as I left work, asking for fast food.

"I think I have what my friend had, but not as bad" she explains.

"????" I have no idea what that means.

"A headache and I'm dizzy."

Here is where I launch into a barrage of questions trying to figure out what is going on. I talk about the school's attendance policy. My note doesn't give her an excused absence. I mention how she's missing homework and is there any of that going on. She tells me no. I tell here that it's hard for me to say yes to that request when all night long she's been fine. When she has spent the entire evening, online, chatting and roll playing with her friends.

She gives me the blank stare.

I ask her if she's feeling stressed with school. She says that she is. (I am not entirely sure if she really is, or if she thinks agreeing with this statement will get her the desired outcome). I suggest she talk to her guidance counselor. She says no. Then I ask if she needs counseling. This question has come up two or three times now, granted by me, but I don't want her to think there aren't options. I go into how she needs to have someone to talk to about what is going on in her life, someone to help her process it all.

Again more no's.

"Are you having problems with kids in school?"

I felt I didn't get any satisfactory answers to my questions, like either nothing is wrong other than she doesn't want to go, or something is going on that she doesn't want to say.

Detention perhaps?

I told her I'd think about it and I climbed back into bed and thought to myself, how much it sucks to be a parent sometimes. (sometimes?)

Unless she's coughing up a lung, I'd say she's going ....

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

That's Not Me

I don't get the person who is SO dedicated to their job that they become distraught when ... say ... upcoming negotiations are this week ... and ... say ... they are up in arms because decisions are being made that they are not happy with.

And it ruins their whole last week AND the week before that AND this week? Sucks to work with them.

Maybe it's me but does a gal not replying to an email sent last Thursday by this Monday constitute being called the "c" word? Granted I don't think that is ever justified but WHY TELL ME ABOUT IT?

I understand being dedicated to the company. I understand having a strong work ethic. But I don't get making it your whole life and holding your job above everything else.

I'm perfectly happy leaving it all at the door when I go home at night.

Tension is high in the office with an important meeting on Thursday ... and ...

I am not looking forward to it.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Doing The Dance

Skipping the where does the weekend go mantra ....

The weekend involved lots of cleaning. I actually spent Saturday night with a steamer in the tub frying the heck out of the soap scrum and grime. It actually worked. I don't know why I was so surprised, high heat and bathroom cleaner should equal the dirt finally throwing up it's hands and saying "I'm outta here!" Granted it took a couple hours to do.

Crazy I know. Who would spend that much time on it? Me. Clearly.

Yesterday my daughter hosted a little birthday party for her friend. A boy "friend". She has known this boy for YEARS. I think it was first or second grade when they met and became friends. The boy's mother and I had a nice chat yesterday. Both of us chuckling that their friendship has survived Middle School and is now thriving in High School. It was more like a reason to get together and hang out then it was a celebration of a birthday. I had fun spying on them. You know because that's what I do. Eavesdrop on their conversations and check up on them when they try and hang out at the local Pizza place (under the guise of walking the baby, of course).

By 5:30 PM I was ready for everyone to GO HOME ALREADY. My roaring might have scared them off. Heh.

I got out the sewing machine last night, dusted it off, chased out the spiders (totally not kidding) and made up some curtains for the lone window in my book area. Then I started working on a custom cover for the ailing couch that has seen better days.

Yes, my weekend was that DULL. But hey, it's a new week ... filled with appointments and meetings.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Sunday Stealing: A High School MeMe

1. Did you date someone from your school? I did. My freshman year, I dated a sophomore. My sophomore year I dated upperclassman.

2. Did you marry someone from your high school? Almost.

3. Did you car pool to school? I would ride with the guy I was dating or have to take the bus (which is a fate worse than death)

4. What kind of car did you have? I had no car in high school. My first car I bought at 19. It was a Plymouth Laser, standard - five speed. I taught myself how to drive it.

5. What kind of car do you have now? 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Love it.

6. Its Friday night...where are you now? Home mostly, sometimes out with girlfriends.

7. It is Friday night...where were you then? Trying to score booze and getting drunk.

8. What kind of job did you have in high school? I worked at a daycare throughout high school.

9. What kind of job do you do now? I'm a secretary ... I mean therapist.

10. Were you a party animal? Not really because I was all about being responsible.

11. Were you considered a flirt? I think so. Although I had more of a reputation of "tease". Go figure.

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Oh hell no.

13. Were you a nerd? See answer to question #12.

14. Did you get suspended from school? I had a couple of in house-suspensions.

15. Can you sing the fight song? If you mean Pink's fight song, I sure can.

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher? A Social Studies Teacher named Chief.

17. Where did you sit during lunch? By myself or I skipped it altogether.

18. What was your school's full name? *insert town name* High School. (real original)

19. Where did you party the most? In the car or at people's houses.

20. What was your school mascot? I skipped all the Pep Rally's so I have no idea.

21. Would you do it again? No thanks.

22. Did you have fun at Prom? Not really.

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? I try but his wife doesn't like it.

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? Do pigs fly?

25. Do you still talk to people from school? Just recently, thanks to Facebook.

26. What are/were your school's colors? Maroon & Gold.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Endless

I swear my laundry does xxx things to itself so that come Saturday I have an obscene amount of laundry to do.

Why?

Friday, March 13, 2009

Placeholder

I was busy today taking hardly used toys to a local consignment shop. Hopefully everything will sell and give us extra $$$.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Placeholder

I have no idea why I didn't blog today.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

It's Like High School All Over Again

-bangs head on computer keyboard-

I'm having one of "those" days people. You know what I'm talking about. The day where everything you touch goes to shit and you have to wonder if karma does have a hand in life because it certainly seems like it, when you yell at one of your children and then turn around and practically break all your toes by kicking the door frame.

If I were a cartoon today, I'd have a black smudge over my head.

The icing on the cake was Parent/Teacher conferences for my teenager. I heard over and over what a good kid I have. I also heard over and over the term "missing assignments". I smiled. I nodded politely but really I wanted to drop to my knees and clutch the teacher and beg them to shed some sort of light on why my teenager girl is like a foreign exchange student to me.

I didn't. I kept it together because I'm cool like that.

Instead I came home and went into (yet again) a combination of a lecture and a pep talk. It appeared to be well received TODAY. Because for whatever reason TODAY was a good day. Today was a day that there was smiling at me and much sitting at the table and hanging in the living room because she knows, I want to be with her.

She did slink off to her room when I mentioned how she needs to use her planner and keep better track of her assignments. But hey, I can't be all nicey nicey.

Then I come up here and check facebook. Let's face it, I'm addicted to the damn thing. And I can sit here and make like I don't spend oodles of time on it ... but I do. My friend from middle school posted a couple of pictures of me from her Bat-mitzvah. I am not smiling and I look ... well ... mad.

Ok, ok, not unlike how my very own teenager daughter looked yesterday. THERE, are you happy? The apple doesn't fall from the tree ... I realize this. Not the point of the story.

The pictures have been up for two days and there are seven or eight of them. I am in one or two. Now, because I'm a stalker, I mean facebook addict, I've been watching a couple girls that I went to High School with. Their accounts are open to everyone (idiots!). They made my life miserable for four years. There was a whole group of six or eight but really it boiled down to two of them. One just joined. The other one I was watching.

Well, she commented on the photo with me in it ... that girl, the one I have always suspected wrote nasty things about me on the girls bathroom wall (in the smoking bathroom to boot) and left me a long letter in my mailbox just before school started Junior year to say that I was dead. Her comment was ... and I quote "Mig ALWAYS had that exact look on her face..."

Funny how after all these years, nothing changes.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Often, Seldom, Never

I have decided that out of all of the years of growth my children have experienced so far, I like the "teenager" the least. And the kicker is I do remember being mean and ungrateful and all that jazz to my own mother during my teen years.

And yeah, payback is a bitch and all that jazz. But each and every day I find myself astounded at the lengths my girl will go to, to just be miserable.

Today, she had her yearly well-visit with the pediatrician. He spoke to both of us about how she can now see a gynecologist, if we choose to go that route. He did the height and weight stuff and then he took her over to his little lab to do a little blood test for anemia.

My girl? Had no desire to go to this appointment, W.H.A.T.S.O.E.V.E.R. I asked her why and she just shrugged her shoulders. I made the statement about how this is part of life and how important her health is. She just groaned. Then I point blank said this ...

"You mean to tell me, you have a poor attitude about going and I'm the one who gets to bare the brunt of it."

"I guess so." Was her reply. Her honest smacks me in the face like a stone.

But I digress. So the doctor took her over to his little lab area and keep in mind the entire time she's like a zombie. I take that back, make her a frowning, glaring eyed zombie with an i-pod. I can hear him asking her questions about her diet and her bowel habits and then finally I hear this ...

"Are you alright?"

I had to take a few steps back so I didn't LAUGH RIGHT IN THEIR SPACE. She played it off like she was feeling under the weather from a cold. (she has a cold? how did I miss that?) She did perk up after that and stop with the monosyllables and laughed a few times.

Part of this visit involved my answering a list of 50 questions about her behavior. They ranged from asking if my teenager spends time alone alot to her attention span. A point is tallied for Seldom and two points for Often, never is a zero.

My total for her was TEN. And that was being generous and they were Seldom's. But I wished they had asked if I ever felt the urge to eat my young because these days? I'd have to say OFTEN.

We got through the appointment but getting through the next three years? Isn't going to be easy, often or seldom.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Stuck in Second Gear

Well, I was going to start my post out by stating how Facebook is consuming my life. Then I read Badger. And decided not to mention it, like AT ALL.

I'm trying to get back on track, after last weeks mandatory vacation and I will admit, today was rough. Between the time change and actually having to work ... sheesh. I'm beat.

I have one of those "Wave Clocks", it keeps itself set correctly with the time by sending a wave out (to where I'm not sure). This is my alarm clock people. Daylight Savings time messes with it, so you have to flick a switch in the battery compartment to make sure it doesn't switch your clock back to the original time. Of course, I found this out the hard way a couple years ago and ever since then, whenever there is a switch, I am wary. Picture me laying away at 3 AM waiting to see if the alarm goes off. I should probably think about a new clock.

My son, who is twelve, is just coming into his own and these days he is oh-so-witty with his observations about everything. (Here's some boy math witty + 12-year old = annoying) Of course I can think of various things he's said easily when I'm no where near my blog but as I sit here trying to come up with one, I am not able to. Oh well, maybe later.

All weekend long, I kept thinking about what a fantastic vacation week I had. I didn't do anything spectacular but I did really enjoy myself. I had to work two of the nights but it was easy peasy and during the day I did some driving around and searching out of thrift stores. The beauty of that was that I bought very little and just looked. I saw lots and lot of crap and then I saw lots and lots of expensive, used furniture. My favorite day of the week was Friday. It was a totally fun day that ended with our book club at night. Tiring but I enjoyed it immensely.

I even got a surprise birthday gift. Chocolate and candles, my two favorite things. Nice.

Now, it's back to reality. This week is jammed with personal things. Tomorrow there is a visit to the peditrican and night work, Wednesday are parent/teacher conferences for the teenager (lordy, lordy, lordy) and Thursday I will be attending a Zoning hearing to make a request.

All this adult stuff,
Do you think anyone will mind if I wear my Metallica T-shirt?

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Sunday Stealing: The Random Question MeMe

1. How old do you look? I've been told I look young. Which is good. Right?

2. Where do you live? I've lived in New England my entire life.

3. Are you waiting for something? The world to change. Come on people!

4. What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common? I can't think of one that isn't common. I've got the basic ones I guess. Toilet seat should be down, shoes should be lined up neatly, dishes in the sink, people should tell you that you look tired, etc.

5. Do you want/have kids? I have three kids and lots of grey hair.

6. Have you ever thought about converting your religion? A few times but I'm okay with the religion I am.

7. Last shocking news you heard? That I might be laid off.

8. What was the last thing you drank? Coca-Cola.

9. Who do you most look like in your family? I have no idea. I'm adopted. I've had plenty of strangers come up to me and ask me if I'm someone else though.

10. If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be? A bigger vehicle.

11. Where does most of your family live? Here in New England.

12. Where did you grow up? I grew up in a small rich town.

13. Where do you want to go on vacation? I'd love to see Niagara Falls this year.

14. Have you ever had a panic attack? Yes, it isn't fun.

15. What can’t you wait for? The summer. I love beach weather.

16. When’s the last time you told someone you loved him or her and meant it? To my husband and children, everyday.

17. Have your parents ever smoked pot? Oh hell no. They don't even know what it is.

18. Want someone back in your life? Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

19. What do you order at the bar? Appetizers and soda.

20. When was the last time you cried really, really hard? After my friend's 17 year old son's wake. It sucked.

21. Ever licked someone’s cheek? Yes, and they freaked out.

22. What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter? When I was a kid, I would make peanut butter, pickle and cheese sandwiches. These days, it's just crackers.

23. Where were you on July 4th, 2008? Hanging out at home.

24. What are your nicknames? Mom mostly.

25. If you could go back in time, how far back would you go? On a bad day, I will secretly wish I could back to when I was twenty-one but for the most part, I wouldn't change a thing.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

I Hope It Was A Good One

I was going to write a sentimental "fifteen years ago today" post but now that I am sitting here thinking about it, I'd rather write about today.

I spent the morning baking your cake and putting together your gifts. I remember years ago when it was Coloring Books and Dress Up Clothes that you wanted. Today I wrapped up your ticket to the Anime Convention, A Drawing Pro Technical Book and a homemade certificate for cable to be hooked up to your TV.

I picked you up at the bus stop and whisked you over to our favorite Book Store. It took you no time at all to pick out some new Anime books (big surprise there). As an added bonus, and on a whim, I took you to the game store too.

On our way out of the bookstore, we got to witness, firsthand, some idiot on a cell phone, who was talking loudly about needing money, while carrying and armload of books. Hearing his flapping feet run by us, we both looked up in time to see him jump in an old model jeep, drop the passenger seat back, while some woman drove him away. No one chased him and we both wished we had gotten the license plate number.

The ride home was filled with chatter. With both of us talking about music, school, work and birthdays. It's those moments that I wish time would just stand still and it would last and last.

Dinner out, I thought was sure to be a good time. Your little sister had other plans. No eating, just fussing and at one point outright crying (and to the dude sitting next to us, dirty looks are not the least bit helpful). We got through it.

At home, the cake was the best part. Your brother made sure the lights got turned out and I took your picture in the darkness. Out of all of them, it came out the best. We sang and the littlest voice was the loudest, even though she was the one who ate the least amount cake.

After the gifts were opened and you were taking your loot into your room, the smile on your face said everything.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart, and here's to another great year.


Tuesday, March 3, 2009

All Hail The Big Guy

For those of you who may not know this. I am on vacation this week. I will agree on the following points:

a) It was short notice.
b) I found out late Sunday night when my Boss called me to point out ~
c) Everyone has taken a week off this winter but me.
d) This week is my week.
e) Because of "a" there is a big meeting on Thursday that will need to go in for.
f) Otherwise I am off.

I am grateful to have some time to myself. I am grateful that this isn't a layoff and really just is a vacation.

So Mr. Bossman if you are reading (and I hope and pray that you are not).

Thank you.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Random Act of Kindness

This weather is going to be the death of me this year. All the talk about global warming we hear doesn't seem to affect us in blustery New England. This is the umpteenth time I've shoveled the driveway and it was probably the most snow we've seen all season.

These days I have my son come out and help. Which, is difficult to watch. He reminds me of a fish flapping around on a deck of a boat. Lots of effort but little result. As much as I try and explain the laws of physics and how it relates to the shovel, it doesn't click in his twelve year old brain. There is lots of falling over the shovel and awkward movements.

At one point I had paused, mid driveway, to look enviously over at my neighbor, on a quad with a plow. I found myself standing in his view, admittedly trying to look as pathetic as possible. Well it yielded nothing. So I went back to moving snow, a little bit at a time and turning my back to the whipping wind.

My boy, who had gone back in to rest and warm up, came back outside and was complaining about snow in his boots. I had no comment and he just went back to ... cleaning off my car. When I happen to glance down the driveway and saw two guys with shovels were standing there.

"You need some help?"

"Well YEAH, that'd be great. I can't pay you though, is that okay?"

(my son picks that very moment to pipe up about how he has money, I might have jabbed him with my shovel)

"Who has any money these days? We sure don't."

And then they proceeded to shovel my driveway. I kept at it but they both were making it happen alot quicker than I could. For good measure, my boy fell a few times, sliding on the ice under the snow.

When it was all done, I introduced myself and the older guy explained that he lives on the top floor across the street and saw me painstakingly making little progress. I laughed and couldn't thank them both enough.

I love life sometimes, when you least it expect it, a total stranger does something kind for you.

And I plan to pay it forward.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Sunday Stealing: The Procrastination Tool MeMe

1. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Our local Diner. It's quaint and I've got lots of great memories of having meals there with my favorite people.

2. What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? Buffalo Chicken Dip. I love the stuff.

3. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Moles, two of them.

4. What is the last heavy item you lifted? Yesterday, Groceries, I tend to carry as many as possible because we live on the second floor.

5. Have you ever been knocked unconscious? I haven't. But I've hit my head hard enough to see stars if that counts at all.

6. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Oh hell no. I worry about it enough as it is, knowing the actual day would be WORSE.

7. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Some days I'd like to be anything BUT Mom.

8. What’s your goal for the year? Paint the living room, while we live in it.

9. Last person you hugged? My two year old. I got one first thing this morning. It's awesome.

10. First place you went this morning? To the driveway to look for my paper. It wasn't there yet.

11. Do you always answer your phone? Not always.

12. It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? My friend Melissa, she loves to text.

13. If you could change your eye color what would it be? I'd love to have blue eyes.

14. What’s on your wish list for your birthday? Well my birthday just passed. I was hoping SIMS 3 would be out but I have to wait until June.

15. Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Right now, excited. I'm watching my kids grow up and I can't wait to see who they become.

16. Do you have any saved texts? Nope.

17. Ever been in a car wreck? Yes, I am traumatized by it. When I am a passenger I use the invisible brake and the hand grip.

18. Do you have an accent? I try to speak correctly but when I get excited, I drop my r's (can you guess where I am from?)

19. What was the last song to make you cry? Steel Hearts "I'll Never Let You Go." It's our song so I get all sentimental when I hear it.

20. What did you do last night? Went over to my brother's apartment to get his TV set up. Yes, I am that exciting on a Saturday night.

21. Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? I definitely have had low points in my life.

22. Current hate right now? The neighbors are getting ready to open a new hair salon and it is directly across from my driveway, which means before too long there will be people parked in front of my house and IN MY WAY. Hate.

23. Met someone who changed your life? My man. Without him I wouldn't have my beautiful children.

24. How did you bring in the New Year? With some shut eye.

25. What song represents you? "You Got Another Thing Coming" by Judas Priest. Oh yeah!