Bug Love

I had the best phone call ever. Our very own Buggy called and made my day, heck - I think she single-handedly made my month :)

I was at my parents this weekend celebrating my Dad's birthday. I get really crappy reception out there so I usually don't answer my phone while there. When I got home I checked my messages and there was this really garbled one that said "tum@#$ this is bu#%#%@ and that was about all I could understand.

It took me a few days of replaying it to think of who it could be, so taking a chance I sent Buggy a pm. Thinking if it wasn't her I would be considered a world class stalker or something.

So I get a call lastnight and it was our very own Buggy! *does happy dance
I have to admit I've had an OT girl-crush on Buggy forever and a day. *grin Anyway, we had a fun conversation while she was wrapping presents. She called back a few seconds after hanging up to say all of those presents she had wrapped while talking, she had put to: herself on the gift tag. *snort

I haven't laughed a real laugh all week until lastnight. Thanks Bug!

PG-13?

When does a movie move past PG-13 to R rated?

How much sexual content moves it to that point? Or is it a heated political scene that nudges it towards the abyss.

Or simple too many of the f-bombs being dropped.

Or it could be just that it's viewed more than 225 times and the Motion Picture Association is just worried that it's going to go R without them realizing it.

And did you know that they are keeping track of your viewing habits and you're on a list. Kind of like the communist list back in the day I guess.


I think the Motion Picture Association needs to lighten up a little.

Salsa Dancing

I'm heading into Tulsa to spend the weekend with my bestfriend to shop and take our first salsa dance class. I'll let you know if I wind up in traction in some hospital somewhere.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Update: Ok, we went. Hooyaaaa. Where to start.......the instructor looked like Ricardo Montlban, well he did if you squished your eyes and made your vision go blurry. But his accent was spot on. Quite yummy.

I refused to wear a dress but did put on heals. Ouch, ouch and double ouch. I have blisters on my little toes. And I have really high arches and most heals arches suck unless you pay big bucks. Which I don't.

My calves had spasms that night. Good grief, what was I thinking!

I was thinking......Hell, yeah! We had more fun and laughed more than I can ever remember. For every blister, bump, bruise, ache or pain there is a good memory associated with it.

Was I any good? Well, let's put it this way. I can confidently say that I am better than Cloris Leachman *grin and my dance partner did not have to go to the hospital for foot surgery the next day. Other than that it's up in the air about how good.

I would definitely salsa again. With or without chips!

Lemming

I'm usually not one that falls in with the crowd, I like dancing to the beat of my own drum.

Only this time around I'm going to be a lemming. After seeing Australia not once but twice within a week's span I am thoroughly smitten with Hugh Jackman. If I were stranded on a desert island I would pick him to be my Sawyer, yep even over Sawyer. Though I still do find Sawyer swoon worthy.

I'm not sure if it was the bathing scene or the ball scene or both plus the accent that finally pushed me into being a raving Jackmanite and it really doesn't matter. It just matters that I am and I don't care who knows it :)

I'm sorry Depp, I'm sorry McConaughey, I'm sorry Holloway but you three must move down the list because Jackman's just moved to the top. *swoon

Aftermath

Well, after hitting post before I actually said anything I'll try this again.

I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing weekend.

I had a housefull. Rob, my sister, twin nieces, brother and sil all have been here since Wed night. My house is a tiny little two bedroom cabin, with one little bathroom. This weekend was an adventure, especially when we broke out the beer and wine :)

We cooked and ate and played games. We discussed politics without screaming ( my Mom and Dad and a couple of our friends came over Saturday to eat and play games - we were discussing politics and Obama's win and he said that something I said to him over the summer made him take another look at Obama and reassess him. That made me happy)

Funniest moment - we were playing Beyond Balderdash and the answer was July 18th, 1980. My mother wrote "The day the Fourth of July was celebrated that year because of rain." I laughed so hard, but I think it was just one of those silly moments because nobody else thought it was quite that funny.

I made a carrot cake, first ever from scratch, with pineapple and nuts and coconut. My sil brought one (we didn't know each other was doing a carrot cake) with raisins. If you smooshed them both together they were fabulous. :) My brussel sprouts were a hit, btw.

Bre called, their showers are broken and they had just finished eating...and I quote...."some pressed turkey with jelly gravy, cold green beans something congealed on top, instant cold mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie which she hates and gave to Jimmy." That child is going to shrivel up and blow away. I didn't have the heart to tell her I was about to cut into a slice of carmeled apple pie. She did get her package from me that day though and shared her hot cocoa mix, said it was a hit so I will be sending more.

Mike's grandmother passed away a few days before Thanksgiving, he's torn up about not being able to be there. I called his mom, she's having a harder time than I am with this deployment. I feel bad for her. She wants him to get out, while I think once they're done with Iraq I'd like Bre to stay in. Right now she's thinking she's going to go Reserves and finish college then go back to full time as an officer. Her time in will still count towards retirement so she would be 40 and eligible for retirement. But it's their call.

Rob just left a little while ago, so my house has gone from full and rambunctous to quiet and lonely :(

Three more weeks and his lease will be finished. Yay. Hopefully the lease payout is what we expect and he can take some time finding a job or a company where he's home more.

Homebodies

This weekend was my first planned me weekend in a while. Lately I've spent weekends with mother-in-law, mom and friends, friends and sister, ect. This past weekend I had planned on seeing no one and going nowhere.

Guess what. Wrong. My sister calls and says "hey, what are you doing this weekend." Me: "Absolutely, nothing. I'm staying at home, cleaning and baking. Deep cleaning and lots of baking." Her: "oh, good. I'm going to come over and help you bake and clean". Me: a silent groan. I use to be so good at saying No, ask Bre. Now, I'm a total wimp.

So Kel comes over Friday night and we go to Chili's, where I have the Shanghai-lite wings and a Chambord margarita. After 2 margaritas I'm not up to baking so we come home and watch PS I love you. Again.

Mom calls the next morning, finds out Kel is here and says she's taking us to lunch. Sigh :) So I have lunch with the sister and the mother and we, yes I take on the responsibility that it was my decision also, decide to go see Twilight. Yum. Totally satisfied with that movie.

I scored on talking them into taking me home while they went to Wal-Mart :) Gave Kel my list *evil grin and started deep cleaning my bedroom. I cleaned out my closet, dusted every nook and cranny, swept, mopped and then mopped again with Orangewhatever. Went thru dresser drawers and bagged stuff I haven't worn in forever, ect. I got the whole room done before Kel got back, that's how much shopping I gave her.

So we get the car unloaded and stuff put away and I'm still in a cleaning mood. Which puts Kel in a cleaning mood. We put INXS, Matchbox 20, OAR, Aerosmith and Garth Brooks in the cd player and shake the walls. Poor Diesel thought a tornado was coming. By the time Garth had sung his last song and we had polished off a bottle of moscato my house was clean, we were tired and it felt good.

My house was clean if you just didn't pay attention. I don't live in clutter, but if you stopped the ceiling fans from spinning....ack! So now I'm happy, all those little places shine as bright as the whole :)

Our baking on the other hand didn't go so well. I baked cookies, that I am not sending to my cookies swap peeps. They are just not....I don't know, they're just not. I'm trying others today.
Kelley's pumpkin gingerbread cake is as heavy as a stone. And we forgot bourbon for the bourban cake and rum for the rum balls. *sigh

Anyway, I have to go to the liquor store today and back to the grocery store. Ick.
Hope everyone's weekend was productive or at least restful.

PS I unlocked the freaking yogo pose where you stand on tiptoes and then go into a squat. Ack!

Just under the surface

I just got a call from Family Support out of Bre's base in HI. This woman was very nice, but she took forever verifying who I was, so by the time she got thru my whole insides was wound taunt. All I knew for the first few minutes, which seemed an eternity was her name was Teresa from Navy Family Services and she was calling about Bre.


Basically, what she called for was to find out if anyone had contacted me about info on Bre's deployment, if anyone's been in contact with me, if she could send me a pamphlet explaining different things, could she get my email to update me on things, would I like her phone number in case I had questions.


While all of that's all good and well, I wanted to scream at her. Bre's been gone since September and a call like this out of nowhere didn't do my heart any good at all. Especially, since she wouldn't say what the call was about until I verified I was who I said I was when I answered my own phone.


I held it together and even acted normal thru the entire conversation. But as soon as we ended, I shook and cried. Again.


Damn it to hell, I think I have it all together and under control and then one stupid well-meaning but freaking scary phone call and I'm in pieces. Again. I hate this.

Quick! Kiss me!

I've got a lovely bunch of mistletoe, right outside my door. The only problem is, is that it's like 40 feet up in the air.

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I want it. I like mistletoe. It makes me warm and fuzzy. Probably because it gave me a good excuse to kiss all the cute boys when I was a tween :)

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But to this day I still love dragging that unsuspecting man - Rob - under a bunch of mistletoe and laying one on him, for no good reason except that were standing under the kissing plant. *grin

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Correct mistletoe etiquette for the etiquette-minded -

The correct mistletoe etiquette is for the man to remove one berry when he kisses a woman. When all the berries are gone, there's no more kissing permitted underneath that plant. Bet you didn't know that :)

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Here's a good link to know more: http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/history/mistletoe.htm.

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But regardless of history or meaning, I just like kissing. I like kissing friends on the cheek, babies on the head, cute guys on the ...oops, Rob anywhere I can. It's not that I need a reason to kiss, I just like the frivolity of it.

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So look up, see that bunch of mistletoe........SMOOCH! Gotcha :)

WooHoo - I'm not middle age!

My bestfriend Lori, in the pic with her daughter Ashley, came over Saturday. We shopped, and drank coffee and ate pie. Then we decided we needed either 1) a nap or 2) to Wii some of that pie off. After deciding 1) fit way better into our weekend, we'd snuggled onto our respective couches with throws and pillows and PS I love you playing on the tv. I'm just drifting off, when my phone rings. It's my sister, Kelley....to make a long conversation short, somehow I invited her up and told her we'd go out. So now I have two divorcees on my hands and a promise of drinking. OMG I'm a gluten for punishment :)

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The pie has long left our bodies by the time Kel shows, so we decide to go to Chili's to have some appetizers and drinks, first. I'm thinking "first?", that's usually my first, middle and last!

Lori's a lightweight and halfway thru her first beer we're talking about the frustrations of being single, ifyouknowwhatimean. Ok, we're in the bar part, but Lori's loud and I don't think Chili's patrons found our loud laughter and the word orgasm particularly appetizing. Our waitress did love us though, college girls are easily amused *grin

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I had beer at home, but they both wanted to go to the bar. Ok, we do have bars, but one in particular I do like, it reminds me of the bar in Cheers, you know the Cheers bar in Cheers. So we go. I'm driving the Mini Coop *grin as I'm the only one not tipsy. So as driver I decide to put the top down. Mind you, it's freaking cold out, but I'm smaht, I've got the heater on high *grin again.

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It's kind of quiet in the bar, but thankfully a couple of the guys from the hospital that I've helped out on a couple of projects were there. I think they took pity on me and helped babysit. We played shuffleboard, had some laughs and the girls got some safe male attention.

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On the way home, they wanted to go dancing. I lied and told them we had no dancing clubs around. Ok, maybe that was a copout but first off I didn't want to go, second they were drunk and it was easier to lie and third....I'm married..I don't do what I wouldn't want Rob to do, and if all of a sudden all of the guys he pals around with were single and searching I wouldn't want him going clubbing. Would you feel the same way? I pondered that lastnight. I would feel comfortable and have if he's just going out to drink a beer or two with friends, but I wouldn't want him clubbing with those friends. Give me your take.

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So yesterday, we slept late and then went out and had breakfast. Holy heck, you'd think we were linebackers. Our table was so laden with food I thought it was going to break! It was goooood. :) I got help with some yardwork, heeheeheehee and we had good coffee and conversation on the deck. The weather was great. And Kelley set Lori up a myspace page, but the dork left her myspace page up and signed in on my computer when she left to go home.

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So.....as the "evil" big sister I changed all of her preferences :) I changed her music to classical, her tagline to "I like to suck on hairy, old men toes", I embedded "my sister is way prettier and funnier than me" into her general blurb, her tv shows to Barney and PowerRangers and books to "I've graduated from picture books to chapter books, I particularly like the 3rd grade reader". Snort Oh, her heroes. Changed to "my sister, because she's so funny!". I got a call at 11:30 lastnight, I couldn't answer because I was laughing so hard. I was also called a "little turd". Ha!

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Anyway, it was a good weekend. And as we had a "girls night out" I proclaim myself NOT Middle Age! Yay, me.

Girls Day Out

http://66.39.108.203/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/rtvw2/community/dcboard.cgi

Saturday was girls day out, you know you've hit middle age when girls night out changes to girls day out *grin, anyway - my mother, sister, friend and I went shopping and eating on Saturday. We went on the pretense of shopping for Bre, which we did, but I think the majority just needed girls time. I know I did.

My sister came up Friday night, I think having a married boyfriend has put a damper on her weekends and I'm becoming her relief from boredom,.....ok, I'm going to digress here for a moment....why is it with some people I'm more forgiving than others? I tell her to her face that I don't agree with what's she's doing and try to put it into perspective for her (that's like hitting concrete) but I also laugh at some of her stories and am a bit jealous he's taking her on an African safari in January. *sigh ..... anyway we were picked up by mom-who needs a hip replacement and friend - who recently had a knee replacement (she's only 50), Kel and I joked we were the nurse aids. Went to the nearest mall - 30 miles away and got them electric carts. I was jealous, I want an electric cart to go mall shopping! I thought my mother was going to have a few lawsuits on her hands before the day was over - she's not so good on the electric cart backing thing!

We bought a bunch of cool things to send to Bre, partially thanks to Puffy and our night googling things like camel spiders and mantyhose and stuff, (oh and Puffy - Bre got her Puffy package, she's either emailing you or has already done so- *smooch) and then ate, my tearoom suggestion got shot down, so we wound up at IHOP where it took an hour and a half just to get our food. Hey, it wasn't my idea. Went to a movie and then headed home. Kelley and I played Wii all night and Wii Fit and drank margaritas. I'm overweight and she's tiny and I still kicked her ass. Ha! I told Mike and Bre when they get home I'm going to kick their Wii asses too :)

I spent Sunday over at mom's raking and burning leaves - Geez I was sore yesterday! This past weekend was suppose to be my holiday cleaning weekend, but as you can see I blew that off. So last night I started moving furniture and cleaning and putting away the things I put away to make room for Christmas decorations. I'm thinking about decorating before Thanksgiving this year. Is that weird?

Happiness and Unhappiness

I went to bed last night with a skip in my step and a smile on my face. I was so happy and pleased with my country lastnight. The fact that we got past the issue of race to elect to the Presidency a man of color that I pray will lead this country back to goodness. I couldn't quit grinning, I thought.....we've done good.

And then this morning I wake up to news that Prop 8 in California might pass and realized there's still alot of tarnishment on the shine that an Obama win put back on my view of the USA. I know African-Americans have been fighting for equality in the open for longer than gay and lesbians, but I hope we don't stand on the sidelines and watch this struggle for as long as we have with African Americans.

I watched one black soldier that was interviewed this morning and with tears in his eyes he said he can now believe that America believes that all men are created equal. I think....not yet. But hopefully soon.

Purchases

I am not a shopper, or maybe it's that I'm not a buyer. I will ohhhh and ahhhh over something, carry it around with me and then put it back before we get to check out. I have always been that way. But sometimes I get into a splurging mode, usually it happens around this time of year, I think it's because of my birthday. So far this month, we (mainly I) have purchased:

Wii and Wii Fit - Rob bought this but it was for me
A duvet cover - it's scrumptious, chocolate brown stripe on stripe 1200 tc - I justify the cost as it will save money in the long run not having to take the down comforter into the dry cleaners
1200 tc sheets- Hey they gave me 10.00 off since I bought the duvet cover - again chocolate stripe on stripe
Fiesta chili bowls - multi colored, love them
Lush - gift card so that shouldn't count
A bunch of stuff for Bre - I should get to take that off my taxes as a donation to the US Services, right? :)
And a black leather shag rug - can't wait until it gets here
oh and 3 wool sweaters for Rob - I had to throw him a bone so he wouldn't squeak so much *grin

I think I have done my part to help our economy.
I justify all of the above because I either saved or it was birthday money. Nothing was purchased with credit. Besides I only have 3 more Christmas presents to buy.

Personal Animus Maximus

I liked being portrayed as that so well I'm using it in the title today. It kind of makes me feel all sexy and stuff. Rowrrrrrrr. Snort

Hmmm, wonder which definition she meant:
1 : basic attitude or governing spirit : disposition , intention
2 : a usually prejudiced and often spiteful or malevolent ill will
3 : an inner masculine part of the female personality in the analytic psychology of C. G. Jung — compare

I'm going with number 3, and you can guess what she can do with my masculine part :) Isn't it amazing how I've embraced the Bully Girl in me! *rolls eyes

Ok, enough with the triviality, on to wittier things.

I am no longer Croquet Queen, got beat by my sister and a 12 year old! I was tipsy though. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

How many of you have googled the hummingbird position since watching My Own Worst Enemy lastnight? Tell the truth! I did. I was disappointed *pout

I know who has who (or is it whom) for Secret Santa. Neener, neener, neener. :)

I had other stuff to say but can't remember what it was. I hate when I do that. I may add more later.......

It's my Birthday and I'll laugh if I want to........

Yep, it really is my birthday today, even if Agman started my birthday thread 2 days early *snort

I got a call at 3 am from Bre, wishing me a happy birthday. That made it a good birthday already, day done, I can call it a good one. I don't want to bore anyone with Bre stuff all the time but I'm saying here, my kid is better than I am. Her bathroom. a port a potty. Eight months with just a port a potty. Ewwww. I know, there's other things over there that are so much worse, but ick, having to go to the bathroom in a port a potty for 8 months would rank very high on my list of why I would be a whiner. But Bre. She's fine with it. *sigh I don't know where she gets her fortitude. Ok, enough Bre talk. Oh wait, I sent my first care package yesterday, anxious to see how long it takes to get there.

My MIL called me at 7:30 to wish me a happy birthday. Ugh, why does she feel the need to call so early on birthdays? She's always done that, even when I was in my 20's and she knew we had gone out the night before.

My best friend Lori called at 9. Now see, she knows me. You don't call until I've settled in for the morning. Morning bathroom ritual, check, hot tea, check, time to settle in at computer, check. Ok, time to call Dawnya, check. That's why were best friends. :)

BBQ at my place Saturday. All is invited. Croquet playing is a must. I will be defending my Croquet Queenship. (I'm a dork and have made a croquet trophy *snort It's just a croquet mallet painted gold)

I got my hair cut and colored yesterday. It's cute. Short and wispy curly in the back and then comes down to points in the front. The crown is short so it gives me some height :)

I usually get money for my birthday and then poof it's gone and I don't know where it went. So I ordered multi-colored Fiestaware chili bowls online and will just deposit the money in my acct and wala birthday present.

I snuggled under a snuggly blanket lastnight and drank spiked hot cocoa while watching the debate. Diesel snuggled against my feet. It was a good night. :)

It's beautiful weather outside, so I hope everyone enjoys my birthday day as much as I'm going to. 4 more years til the big 50. Can't wait. I always do some big trip on the 0 birthdays so I look forward to it instead of dreading it :)

Adding - Rob called and directed me to a spot he had hidden a birthday card for me when he was home last. It had a Lush gift card in it. He said he knew he wouldn't be able to be home today but wanted to make sure I knew he was thinking of me, besides a phone call. I love that man. :)

And....my bosses sent me flowers :) They're purty.

Update: Bravie - HELP! Rob snuck in right before midnight - He wasn't due in until Saturday morning so that was a great surprise. He brought me a Wii and Wii Fit for my birthday. That's where Brave comes in. I have no clue :) Rob's in the floor, mumbling to himself on hooking it up right now. He has a 360 so I'm regulating him to the tiny little portable tv to play his games :)

Gallbladder and things

1. Gah! I thought kidney stones were bad. This sucks. And I so don't want to have surgery, though I know it's alot better than it used to be. The only time I've been in the hospital was to have my tonsils out when I was a kid and then to have Bre and that was almost 23 years ago!

But the latest attack was a doozy. For 3 hours I was in pain, like the kind of pain where you do the "I'm having a baby" breathing even tho you're not pregnant. The tossing your cookies because it hurts so bad, curling up on the bathroom floor because you're afraid to be too far from the bathroom type of pain. And then for the next 7 hours I moaned and was afraid to move much. A heating pad up against my stomach and a hot corn pad on my back (I didn't know gallbladders made your back hurt!)

After the cookout for all of our October birthdays - twin nieces, my mom's and mine - on the 18th I'm going in to have this thing yanked out!

2. Bre is at her permanent base. Not a "tricked out" one, darn it. But she does have access to email every once in a while.

3. I think my mowing should be done with for this year. Yay!

4. I have 5 or 6 freaking cats hanging around outside and this week I have been invaded by mice! I think because it's getting cold so they are coming in. I'm going to buy those traps where they go in and die. I don't want to see them, ick and I won't use the poison. Those stupid cats are worthless.

5. I love fall! :)

5.

Bre

Bre left for Iraq yesterday. She flew out of Maryland to Germany where she had a 3 hours layover then on to Kuwait where she will be for 3 days.

I spoke to her right before she got on the plane and then she texted me when she was seated. And then I cried :) She called when she got to Germany for a few minutes and that will be it for a while.

She's not sure where she'll be based, so we're not sure how many amenities she'll have. It could run the gamut of internet access in her bunk to a few minutes a month phone call. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it's the first.

She did get to come in for 3 days last week, which was great! But it was hard to put her back onto the plane and watch her go. I haven't cried since she went to Hawaii for the first time and she was 18 then. I did wait until she was out of sight before tearing up, and then when I got to the car I kind of had a breakdown moment. I figured I'd get it out before getting on the highway, so I'm weeping and someone scares the crap out of me by tapping on the window. It was a police officer and his drug dog. He asked if I was ok, I cried "I just watched my daughter leave and she's going to Iraq". He backed away rapidly, told me to take my time and said he would patrol near until I was ready to leave. He was cute.

I plan on posting some pictures taken while she was here, but right now I'm being lazy.

Mike left Monday and they will be on different bases dammit. But she does have a "battle buddy", hey that's what the service called him! His name is Jimmy, he's 6'6" and 235 lbs. He's married and treats her like a little sister. He told me he's instructed her that if she needs to go to the bathroom at night she's to get him up and he will walk with her, and pleaded she keep it to once a night. They bought walkie talkies so he can keep track of her. I think I love him :) I hate to admit, but her safety ON base is one of my greater worries. Isn't that awful?!

For those of you that are interested in sending books and things, even if you'd like to send generic stuff that she could disperse to everyone, let me know thru pm and when I get it I will give you the address. I'm only going to give the address to people I know, so if you're a stranger that's by chance reading this...move along. Of course I will give it to strange people I know which includes all of you :)

I hate knowing I can't pick up the phone and call her.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it.....

I'm taking a 6 week writing course thru the local college here. You know, one of those adult learning classes. I figure it will work areas of my brain that have been left to atrophy for far too long.

So our first homework assignment is to write a paper describing a loved one. But you can only use colors, scents and spices to describe them. I have a week to do this and will probably not work on it until the weekend, but if you want to play have at it. :)

It's going to take me a bit to figure out if I want to describe Rob or Bre, or if I'll do what I normally do and pick both of them and see which paper I like the best.

Do you have a chartreuse you love or maybe a saffron, does the scent of a campfire bring to mind someone you used to love?

I have to admit, I think I'm going to enjoy this class. The teacher is animated and fun.

Copper bathtubs and other stuff

See these? I want them, well not both of them but one of them. Wouldn't a Lush bath be fabulous in one of these tubs. Yummmm.

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There's a store in Dripping Springs where if I could buy one of everything they carry I would die a happy woman. I sat in the top tub there, hey...I needed to make sure I fit nicely! They have this armoire that was this old heavy wood and the door was inlaid copper *sigh

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I worked hard in TX and they are up and running. I was well paid and they took great care of me while I was down there (read well fed). My favorite place to eat was Mondola winery, the food was wonderful but the tasting room was even better.

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I freaked out when I found a scorpion in my sink while I was washing my hands. I screamed like a girl, Heather came in, calmly took off a shoe and squished it like the little bug it was. Hey, I would have done that had I been wearing shoes!

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Diesel and their Great Dane, Mojo, were buds by the second day *whew. It would have been a long 3 weeks otherwise.

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Rob was home when I got back *big grin. We had a big picnic and float trip on Saturday of Labor Day and then on Sunday we knocked out a wall at my mom's. That! was fun! and it looks great. Anyone need a wall knocked down? I'm your girl. I know all about headers and support beams and whitchits and whatchits!

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My house needs dusted badly. Three weeks closed up and it's dusty. Can't wait to see the next utility bill *grin

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I'm all over the place with this post I know but.......

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My new favorite wine is Canto Felice. It's a red but tastes like a white. It's quite yummy. I saved a bottle from everyone especially for Lush baths. Is that stingy of me?

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My best friend and my sister are now divorcing. Not each other sillies. I'm relieved, but I'm also sad with the friends divorce as her husband and I always teased that we were long lost bro and sis as we're so similar in tastes. It'll be weird when she's with someone else for a while. And I hope I can substain a friendship with him. We'll see.

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I was only going to be gone a week not 3, so my fridge was very scary when I got home! Ack.

If you all remember when I sold off everything way back when and went on the road with Rob you might remember me stressing over finding a home for Olivia, my Quaker parrot (who by the way masturbates like a hussy). Well, best friend wound up taking her. Now because of the divorce she's brought her back to me. Yay. She talks (I taught her to say "here kitty, kitty *snort) and laughs alot. They didn't take as good care of her as I would have liked but at least I wound up with her. She's got a vet appt to get her beak filed. Yikes.

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Ok, I think I'm rambling. Hope I'm back for a while.

Kind of back

but not completly.

When I got back my server had been hacked and a bunch of chinese crap had been added to it. Every time I tried to do something it would take me to this weird chinese dvd website. *shakes head.

Anyway, server is still being fixed and I'm still on a crappy laptop. I hate laptops! And for some reason I can't log on here or into my mail thru my regular internet. I'm having to remote on to my cpu in Dripping Springs and then access the internet thru there. Weird, huh?

I do still LURVE you *sticks tongue out at Breezy* and misses all of you bunches and bunches! My life is not the same without you.

Big smooches to all.

7 Days does not 3 Weeks make

Still in Austin (technically Dripping Springs). Was originally was only suppose to be here from Sunday to Sunday, but by the time I get home I will have been away for 3 weeks. My bosses father-in-law has taken pity on me and went over and mowed my lawn for me. He's a huge sweetheart.

I'm homesick, but it's nice to be begged for my time :) And the perks have been nice. Except for the lack of OT time :(.

When does it turn into a kidnapping? *ha

Mish Mash

1. My sister has drug me into her affair and I'm totally ok with it for very selfish reasons. She called and asked me if she could park her car at my house for the weekend. Her and boyfriend are going to OKC and she wanted to ride with him. Before you start telling me I shouldn't have let her involve me two things a) her car is a 2008 Mini Cooper convertible Sidewalk edition - I made her leave the keys and told her I would be driving it all weekend (she turned a little green but handed them over) and b) I don't like her husband, he takes cheap shots at Rob every chance he gets and I can't stand him. *sigh I'm shallow.

2. I will be going back down to Austin Sunday and will be down there until the next Sunday. I'll be staying with my bosses, the doctor and the dentist. The plus to this visit is that since he's picking me up in his plane I get to take Diesel with me, Yay. I don't like leaving him so I'm much relieved they offered to let him come. The down side is that I don't know how much internet time I will have. Last time I had my old laptop with me and was at the Hilton, this time I don't know if they have wireless and I hate to tie up theirs, so.. The only down side to not traveling commercial is that it's a single engine plane and those make me a tad nervous.

3. I've scrubbed the house and trimmed the yard, so I'm hoping when I come back I can just fall apart. The one thing I'm sad about is that my tomatoes are just starting to produce, I planted late, and a week without water is going to toast them I'm afraid. These are the Cherokee Purple that are supposedly very finicky but I've got tons of babies. I'll just hope for the best.

4. I'm borrowing a car next Friday night and driving down to San Antonio to see my oldest friend (oldest as in length of time not age) and I'm totally excited. On a side note: what do you call a friend that up and into adulthood was your BFF, but it turns out that last F was false - you still consider her your childhood BF but now you have an adult BFF?

5. There's a new post up in Mystic's blog. Check it out. *hint

6. If I'm not around until next week I will miss you. and PS - Some of you - Alot of you - need to update your blogs!

Bully?

You know, I didn't know if I was actually going to blog about this or not. I had to sleep on it, mull it around, let it sit for a bit. Did I actually care? or Was it just a bit of irritation that would fade rapidly, kind of like that damned mosquito bite on my arm?

So I did, I thought about it and there are things I want to say.

I was basically called a bully lastnight and while knowing who I was being grouped in with I didn't particularly have a problem with that, it did strike me as ridiculous. In the past there have been posters on a different sight that I have thought what they were posting was bullshit, sometimes I say something and sometimes I don't. If someone happens to agree with me when I do say Bullshit and post their opinions why does that make us into a group?, or even bullies in a group? I'm not even sure why the originals Bullies were deemed Bullies, although I suspect it's for the same reason as I am now classified as a Bully. How stupid.

I've never been called a bully before, hell I suppose I've been called lots of things, in fact the same person that called me a bully also implied I was a racist and a sexist, two other things that's totally laughable. All of this from someone I thought I got along with and have even had nice exchanges with, though alot of the times I think she uses bullying techniques to get her opinion across.

So do I care I've been called a bully, a sexist, a racist and maybe even a fucking bitch? Not so much, I know who I am and how I am. And from the pm's I received from people I haven't even really had alot of interaction with I'm starting to feel a little sorry for the person that's calling me a bully.

I did look up the definition for bully (hint: definitions are what some should use sometimes)

bul·ly 1

n. pl. bul·lies
1. A person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker people.
2. A hired ruffian; a thug.
3. A pimp.
4. Archaic A fine person.
5. Archaic A sweetheart.


So upon reflection maybe she meant I was a fine, sweetheart of a person. *head tilt, smile, bat eyelashes.......throws self on the ground laughing* Okay, or not.

I'm Pissed

Bre called lastnight and she's doing really well. She's gone thru grenade training (was 1st in her group for range and accuracy, I told her it was all those years of playing 3rd base varsity softball), totalled 3 humvees during driving training - thankfully they were simulated humvees, and spent a week learning triaging and first aid - she got the vein the first try when learning how to do an IV, unfortunately the guy that did her had to dig for it.

She was in the midst of cleaning her guns when she called.

And all of that is not what I'm pissed about.

During our discussion we talked about her equipment and she told me that while she was in Iraq if she had to travel in a convoy as intelligence she would be in an "Up-armored humvee", when I asked what that meant she said that they are basically a better protected humvee. That they will survive an IED attack, they would roll around but still protect against a bomb blast. My response to this and not directed at her....but why doesn't all our people over there get FUCKING UP-ARMORED HUMVEES, holy shit, what do you mean we have a way of protecting our soldiers and we can't supply it?!

But wait, it gets better. Mr and Mrs Fooner are supplying Bre and Mike with better equipment than what the military hands out (and that is a whole 'nother post that requires me to figure out a way to express my gratitude to those two wonderful people), we've bought her a pair of Oakley sunglasses that are bullet resistant, multi-use tools that are an upgraded, ect. Well, it seems that alot of people are doing this for their family members and the companies that have contracts with the military aren't happy about it. So those companies and our government are talking about now NOT ALLOWING military people to carry anything not made by a company that doesn't have a military contract. WTF-ever. I said to her, you're getting issued the stuff anyway, so what difference is it to them if you buy elsewhere. Well, it seems that what they're issued isn't as good of quality as the stuff they can buy at the PX/NEX, so they want you to upgrade, but only from them. My question - WHY THE HELL AREN'T THEY GETTING THE BEST STUFF IN THE FIRST PLACE? I understand contracts, what I don't understand is the mindset of these people.

I hate greed. And this is what pisses me off.

It's hard to go to OT right now

Everytime I go there I read about Mystic and Mr Mystic and my heart shreds.

I laid in bed lastnight thinking about her and him and praying. And I cried myself to sleep thinking how easily we lose that which we love.

I think/hope Rob and I have that kind of relationship and I can't imagine never hearing his voice, or being able to reach across the bed with a foot to touch his and it broke my heart for her.

I know that alot say that everything happens for a reason, but when things like this occur it's hard to believe those people.

I went floating yesterday, just me and a friend. I found some flowers that I wound together and sent them floating downstream with a prayer for Mr Mystic/John. I hope someone heard it.

I still don't understand how bonds are formed with people I've never met and most who I'll never meet, but know that I think of all of you and most on OT as true friends. And I truly hope Mystic does find comfort on OT because she is loved.

Another kind of ritual

Preparations made, candle lit, water runs hot, the scent of Karma fill the air, an icy cold one had been cracked. O.A.R.'s Shattered plays softly in the background.

Slowly she steps into the barely tolerable, immersing with baby gasps. Muscles tensing then slowly relaxing as the heat demands. She feels beads of moisture rise across the bridge of her nose. Perspiration, no exertion required.

Not physically, anyway.

Gradually she lays back, liquid enveloping her body as scents envelope her mind.

An escape this ritual must remain.

She raises one foot, noticing the blush of heat, wondering about the bruise on the back of her calf. Adjusts the flow with one Aphrodite's Pink Nightie painted toe.

Silently she picks up the bottle, noticing absently as the perspiration runs slowly down the sides, much like that which runs down one cheek. Sweat or tears, it doesn't really matter nor which you can tell.

An icy pink fingernail scratches at the label, until a memory from college surfaces, laughing slightly she allows the finger to continue. If anything this night is true is she could be described as frustrated.

Tipping the bottle, she feels the cold, icey in direct contrast to the heat simmering around her. The bitterness of coffee and chocolate melding well with her mood.

Pulling the bottle away she spills a droplet on her chest. Suddenly her whole existence centers on that one small spilled drop.

She bargains.

A direct line to navel and the universe promises, promises all will be right.

She slips deeper into the water as that betrayer of promises slips under one breast.

She feels bubbles rise around her neck to playfully tickle earlobes.Stupid, stupid bubbles, don't they know they're just hastening their death?

A prayer on swollen lips, she starts..."Dear God"....and the prayer dies. She's forgotten how, it's been too long. Again she tries. Again she fails.

She tilts her head back, resting on that curve that has held her so many times before, this time it fails. Tears creep from the corner, falling, sliding, on their way to speed the dying of those sweet, silly bubbles.

With a last heroic move she slips below the surface......

Questions

1. Ok, what would you say if your married 4 times sister told you she was having an affair with a married man that has two kids? *sigh

2. What would you say if an online friend told you she was thinking of having an affair?

3. What would you say if your bestfriend told you she thinks her husband is fooling around?

4. Why is my life surrounded by cheaters!?

...... and why hasn't anyone said how cute I am in the picture below dammit!

I'm not having a good day.

Morning Rituals

I am a ritualistic person. And if my ritual is thrown off I'm out of whack for most of the day.
I used to get up 2 hours before work to have "slow time" but now since I work from home I only get up an hour early.

I stumble from the bed and into the bathroom for morning ablutions, I'm a shower at night girl so I'm done pretty quick. Walk to the door and let Diesel out, then into the kitchen to pop a cup of water into the microwave for tea. Back into the bedroom where I dress, and believe me that takes no time anymore, t-shirt and shorts. Ding, I plop my tea bag (I do vary my tea flavors, right now my favorite is Constant Comfort) into the hotwater and let Diesel back in. I add some Splenda to my tea and a splash of sugar-free hazelnut creamer.

Only now am I ready to cozy up to the computer where I play all the quizzes before doing anything else. Then I check out OT....and then I start reading blogs. I'm a bottom reader, not to be confused with a bottom feeder! I start with the bottom of my "Read blogs" list, so Zombs if you're reading this you're always first, so write more :) A quick click and I'll know if something's new and I'll be reading or not, you all don't write enough, I can tell you right now.

So by the time I'm done my first cup of tea is finished and I'm awake enough to start work.

So what's your morning rituals like?

And if you are not on my "read list of blogs" please tell me, the more blogs to read the more awake I will be :)

Marriage tag by the Puffmeister

1. What date is your anniversary? We celebrate 2 since we lived together for so long. January 19th the day we.....first.....and May 7th, actual wedding date.

2. Where did you get married? Vegas, on Mother's Day at 4 am, at the Little White Wedding Chapel in the Tunnel of Love on the back of a Harley by Elvis.

3. Who proposed and how? I'm sticking with "He did", and I'm not really sure. Someone (he) said if we were ever going to do it this is the way it would happen and suddenly we were getting the license and poof.

4. How long were you engaged? Ummm, I guess about 2 hours. That's about how long it took to stand in line for the license and drive to the chapel.

5. What was your favorite part of your wedding day (and it can't be your husband). The cheesiness of it all.

6. What would you change if you could? I would wear something besides a black shirt and jean capris :) Wait, nah.....I wouldn't. So nothing.

7. There's no # 7.

8. Remember anything special about your wedding ceremony? It was all memorable.

9. Were you clean or messy when you cut your cake? We didn't have a cake. Maybe I would change that. Because I love cake!

10. Where did you go on your honeymoon? We stayed in Vegas for 2 extra days because we were saving for our 2 weeks in Hawaii later that year.

The End - Picnic and Goodbyes

My Mom, Mike and Bre...Mom hates this pic, don't tell her I posted it :)

Bre and Mike drowning their sorrows at being the biggest losers on the croquet field.

Rob, BFF Lori, her daughter Ashley and my brother Tracy

Sister and the girls :), Mike, Bre and Me

The day started off great and with minor bumps stayed that way.

I had gotten almost everything done for the picnic the night before. The menu was simple. Dips, chips, burgers, brats, bbqed ribs and whatever anyone else wanted to bring. A friend had borrowed my big grill and was bringing it back this morning by 11. He didn't get there until 1pm but we adjusted and as I had decided to do beer ribs it didn't take much time to finish them off on the grill.

Bre and Mike were in charge of burgers and my brother Tracy and Rob were in charge of the brats and weiners. We had so much food it wasn't funny.....and beer, oh my heck did we have beer. And margaritas and wine and chocolate cake shots and green lizards and....yep, we had a liquor store worth of drinks.

So we pig out, and it was delicious. Except my bff Lori didn't bring the Dump Cake, but that was probably a good thing as it would have put us right over to a coma. And then it's Croquet Time, notice the capital letters :)

I forgot to pick up an extra set of balls and mallets, so we all teamed up. Somehow my brother and Rob became partners and my sil and I were teamed up, otherwise it was all husband/wife, girlfriend/boyfriend, mom/daughter, etc. I'm probably the most competitive person I know but I've tried to calm it down in recent years so people will play with me :) but if I hit your ball in croquet you can bet I'm going to "send" you. *sigh I really try to be nice. But.....

Anyway, with one lucky shot my brat of a husband and my brat of a brother beat me and Donna Kay (isn't that an Okie name *grin) by one stroke. Ugh. Team Lucky (them) are the only ones that became poison. I like being Poison *pout! Team AnnaNicole got killed and Team Navy came in last.

We had a ball.

We started a bonfire and made s'mores and sat around and talked for a long time. Being a Sunday night the crowd started thinning fairly early. I think the last person, my mom...she's such a partier....left about 9:30. Bre and I cleaned up inside while the guys picked up the yard. And then we dropped into bed. By this time I'm thinking I'd pay good money to stay in bed for about 12 hours!

Cordie, Rob's mom, wasn't able to come to the picnic as Don had gotten out of the hospital only to have to be taken into the ER the morning of the picnic. His kidney had started bleeding, so they transported him to Tulsa. She was upset but I promised we come by the next day.

So Monday morning we head over to her house and have an early lunch with her at Chili's. Mike's grilled hard about his intentions, I would have felt bad but we warned him about her. And I have to say I was very impressed on how he handled himself with her. Not many can stand up to the Cordie lectures.

The kids have to get their stuff together so we head home. I grill steaks while Bre and Mike are packing and we have a nice dinner on the deck and watch a few dvds that evening and we're off to bed.

The next morning we're up and gone early. Stop in at IHOP for breakfast and get the kids to the airport in plenty of time. They are headed to Vegas from here where they'll be for 6 days, I think, then Mike heads back to HI for 2 weeks and Bre's off to Cali then to WI. We hug and kiss goodbye and send them off with a wave.

Rob's talking away and my chin's quivering. I haven't cried since we put her on the plane for Hawaii the very first time, but this time feels different. Rob looks over and asks if I'm crying...the idiot :).....and I start bawling, ok not bawling but pretty close. It's over quickly and I'm ok.....at least for now.....

Rob and I stayed in Tulsa for the day....Barnes and Nobles, Ricardo's, the motorcycle shop and then we met up with Lori and her crew....grabbed icechests, pizza and lounge chairs and went to the drive-in and watched The Happening....Ugh.

Bre had a ball in Vegas and as I post this she is getting ready for her first day of Combat Training.

Part Six - Float trips and Bar tips

Top picture taken last summer - The nieces (drunkey on the left) and Bre with blond hair.

Bottom pic - Bre and Mike at the bar after float trip

I was dumb and forgot the waterproof camera I wanted to get at Walmart, so no pics of the float trip. Damn it. One of the big things I regret about the visit.

We got up early and were ready to go when my nieces showed up. One of which was still drunk from the night before, and yes I was totally disappointed with her. She wound up crawling into bed and not going, which her sister probably had way more fun without babysitting someone that was already starting out drunk.

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So Rob and I have our kayak's (we learned long ago if we're going to stay married we do NOT share a canoe!). Mike and Bre have a canoe and Jill and Nikki were suppose to have one. But....we get one canoe with a third seat. In retrospect I should have reserved a raft...next time.

Mike had told me out of everything we had planned for the visit this was the one he was least looking forward too. Seems in Philly you don't go near the water, but he'd already been flyfishing so he knew the water was okay. He asked if there were bathrooms along the river. *snort Um, no honey, there are bushes. He also didn't want to get out of the canoe into the water and sink in muck. You won't I assured him.

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So we meet up with brother and sil, and take the short bus trip to the entry point and get set up. And we're off. For about 20 feet. Mike, Bre and Jill....plop. Over they go. Along with most of the 3 point beer ( I was smart and kept the 6 point with me and Rob). We get them situated again and scoop up the beer and head off again. We're only doing the six miler as we've got 2 newbies with us and I don't think they can handle the 13 miler. From the beginning to the end those three went over about 7 times, most of the time for no earthly reason but for one of them leaning to far over the side to look at the fishies. Or Bre getting daring thinking she could pull herself back in. But I have to say, all three are happy while tipsy :)

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It was a gorgeous day, lots of sun with a cool breezy. We all had a great time. And we have two new float trip enthusiasts.

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So we get home and all take showers and head to Granny's Attic. Rob has most of the pics on his camera, one of these days I may post some but probably not. SIL got really drunk, as in porcelain goddess drunk, but still had a good time. We have new converts to Chocolate Cake Shots also :)

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This was probably my favorite day of the whole trip, but Sunday was pretty fun also. I just had to work more.

Part Five - Fun times

Yay, all the yucky stuff is behind us. I hope :)

It's Wednesday, Thurs and Friday (otherwise this week's worth of blogging will be as long as a book).

Wednesday, Rob decides to take Mike flyfishing for trout. Mike's never been and as he's a total cityboy this should be fun. That's Bre helping Mike get his wader's on (I almost had to call them flyfishing thingamajigs, because I couldn't remember what they were called for a bit :) ). It's not a look you'll find me in anytime soon! Mike made Bre put them on also and she had her pouty face on the whole time, I can't say that I blame her.

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We decide while they're out we'll pick up the grandma's and go shopping. Unfortunately, Rob's mom was at the hospital with Don, which is a whole 'nother story, but.....we had a very pleasant day with my mom.

.

The guys are suppose to meet us for pizza at Sam & Ella's but 9pm gets here and no guys. We go and pick up pizza because we're craving it and the men finally drag their butts in about 10pm. Mike caught 3 trout and Rob 4. Though we voted Mike best fisherman as one of his was a brown which are harder to catch. Rob was like a proud papa. They cooked their trout and Bre and I ate pizza. I don't like trout. Ick.

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Thursday is beautiful, so we pack up the cooler and head to the dock. Poor boat hasn't been out all season. The lakes still high, but I've been on it so much I pretty much know where to avoid. So we do some tubing. And let me tell you I'm very adroit at flipping a tube :) Not only did Bre have a time of it trying to stay on but so did her swimsuit top.

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Friday saw Bre and I get up early and it was pouring but we had important things to do. We were meeting with my Dr to get our underarms lasered. It hurt a bit but not having to shave, uh YAY. He just bought a laser and they were training so we were guinea pigs. Turned out great. I'll have it done once, maybe twice more and then no more shaving for me....ever. He's going to do Bre again when she gets back. My brother and sil came in that evening....so we headed to Wallyworld to pick up supplies for the float trip on Saturday (which btw thanks for all the good thoughts, weather was perfecto!) and then went bowling. Where I broke 4 nails, ugh. But I bowled a respectable 210. And then we went to this new bar that opened up in town, Granny's Attic, my kind of place :) Actually, it reminds me of Cheers with a shuffleboard table. Bre and I lost to Mike and Rob, they cheated.

.

So to bed with us. Long day on Saturday.

see, three days in one post is so much better :)

Part Four - Road trip

Before we left for Missouri I told Bre to get everything she had with her, dog tags, orders, med records, etc. We headed out early and the trip went fast and smooth. For once, yay. I'm thinking Mike might be our lucky charm.

Rob's waiting for us in Springfield, so we pick him up and head down to the driver's license bureau. You can tell Bre's getting anxious and probably a bit sick at her stomach the closer we get. Luck was smiling on us this day. There is one person at the counter and a sweet looking young girl maning the counter. Bre's number is called and she explains the situation. The girl's all "oh honey, it's all okay" asks a few questions and wa-la "here's your id". I love this girl. She's thanked profusely. The id gets passed around. People are wishing Bre and Mike good luck. In the meantime Mike has a funny look on his face, I asked him what was wrong. His reply "um, I have one of Bre's old driver's license in my wallet". What?! Women are cracking up, he gets hit a few times. Seems he snagged Bre's old expired permit and put it in his wallet. It wouldn't have gotten her on a plane as it was way expired, but it would have maybe waylaid some anxiety on getting her driver's license! Smack that boy!

We want to go to Nakato's for dinner, but know Rob's family won't want to. So we ask if they want to me at Barnes and Nobles. We get there and I have to say I really like Bitnop's (I'm not sure if that's how it's spelled but that's the way you pronounce it) boy's. They are adorable. She's sweet but very shy and speaks almost no English, so it's a struggle somewhat. Jack wants to take us to this Vietnamese restaraunt, we're not sure about this but okay.

I ordered a soup, all the while keeping in mind I'm going to pigout at Nakato's later that night. That soup was awesome! Clear broth, with chicken and uncooked fresh veggies, bean sprouts, cilantro, etc. Yummy.

The haven't seen Bre since she left for bootcamp 4 years ago so there's alot of catching up to do. It was actually a much more pleasant visit than I anticipated. And they didn't grill Mike once.

We took our leave and stopped at the bank so I could take care of some business while in town. And then we four piggies headed to Nakato's, the best Japanese steakhouse ever built. I'm thinking there's no way were going to eat much. I was wrong. We truly are pigs this day!

After dinner we head back home and make it with no other incidents. Yay us.

Part Three - The day we should have stayed in bed

Once again, should you be reading this start with part one.

So it's Monday and lots to do. This is how we planned our day......Get up, have breakfast, drive in to Broken Arrow to pick up rental car so the kids would have their own vehicle, drop off my car at a friends for today and tomorrow, head to hospital to visit father-in-law, pick up Mike at 4pm and then meet friends for dinner at Ricardo's. Head home.

This is how it actually played out.

Slept thru alarm.....actually two alarms. Ack. We grabbed a bowl of cheerios and head out. Thank goodness we took showers the night before. We get in to the rental agency and ack again, I left my wallet with my credit cards on the table. So Bre pulls hers out, the guy behind the counter says it'll be an extra charge because she's under 21. Grrrr. She tells him she read on their website that if you are active military then that is waved. He pushes some buttons on his computer and viola.

So now we're thinking so far so good. Right?

Bre jumps in the little rental car and we head to Broken Arrow to drop off mine. The rain comes in hard and heavy and Bre's nervous about driving in Tulsa. Pffft, Honolulu's traffic is MUCH worse. So far, so good.

She wants me to drive. So we play chinese firedrill in the rain and head to the hospital. Don's surgery went fine, the tumor was fully encapsulated and they're waiting on the path report on the two spots on his liver. He's in the Cancer Centers of America, holy sheesh. This place has valet parking, they give you this nice fluffy robe, a really good continental breakfast is laid out for guests and relatives. Very nice place, not that I want to ever need it, but....A++ for aesthetics.

As we're walking in Bre asks if I locked the doors because she forgot her wallet. Yes, does she need the keys. No she says, as long as I locked it. So we go up and visit for about an hour and then we're headed to pick up Mike. It's pouring when we get outside. Pouring.

Bre gets to the car and waits while I unlock it then starts looking for her wallet. It's not there. She's freaking, I'm freaking, it's pouring and we're soaked. I'm sure it's slipped inbetween somewhere and tell her when we get to the airport we'll find it. The airport has covered parking so at least we won't get soaked.

I'll finish the post by tonight, I promise myself.......

Keeping my promise:

Ok, picking up where I left off.....we get to the airport and tear the car apart. It's nowhere. OMG. Bre's about to cry, she had all her credit cards, drivers license, military id, birth certificate (don't ask), etc. Her life, and we women know exactly what that means. Mike's plane is landing, so we meet him at baggage claim. Poor Mike, I think he was already regretting coming. But he was really good with her.

We called the rental agency, the information place at the hospital, drove to the agency, back to the hospital and out to the friends. Nothing. We still think it was dropped at the friends where their dog found it, raped it and buried it.

Luckily she had not changed her drivers license to Hawaii and we already had a trip to Missouri planned for the next day. So I was hoping that we could get a copy with no other id. She called credit card companies, who were great btw. All said they would expedite cards out to her and she would have them by the end of the week. She contacted her Commander who is going to be in California when she's there and he said not to worry he would escort her onto base where she could get a new military id. Of course all of this hinges on getting her drivers license or she won't even be able to get on the plane.

Mike and Bre and 6 others have a Vegas trip planned and will be leaving on Tuesday. So we have to get a picture id before then.

We meet Lori and family for dinner, where by this time Bre and her wallet had become a joke, which she bore gracefully. She takes after her mom :)

Got home and I went to bed.

Tomorrow ~ Trip to Springfield, pick Rob up, try and get driver's license, visit Rob's dad and the new family that speaks fluent Vietnamese and little English and get back home in one piece.

Part Two

If you're one of few that read this you should start from Part One, unless you're a rebel like Bravie.

So Sunday is Father's Day and after getting a late start due to a very late night, Bre and I finally get around and drive over to my parents. My sister and her boobs are meeting us there. I swear she should name them. Something like Anna and Nicole would work. They get bigger everytime I see her, I think one of these days I might ask her if she had an inflatable pump installed.

She comes with nimcompoop husband. He doesn't think anything is funny unless it's humiliating to someone else. Can you tell these two are my least favorite of all of my family?

Anyway, we take dad to dinner and give him our gift cards, that's all he gets anymore as he's the hardest man in the world to buy for! Spend some uncomfortable time and the Bre and I head home. We're pooped, so we watch some tivoed shows and go to bed.

Tomorrow we have a rental car to pick up, a hospital visit to fit in and Mike to pick up. If we'd only known what the day was going to hit us with we might have chosen to stay in bed.

To be continued......

Bre's visit Part One

Did you know that kids never really grow up? *grin Our visit starts out as a comedy of errors, but bear with as no one gets killed :)

Saturday which is really Sunday morning finds me at 12:30 am re-arranging furniture waiting for Bre to call saying she's in okay and on her way. I get the phone call all right, but it starts off with a voice saying "Mom, don't hate me." Rut-roh, I've heard that plenty of times and it's never good news and usually entails me dealing with something I don't want to deal with.

Seems she reserved a rental car but never checked for a confirmation. They didn't confirm, have no cars to rent and all other rental agencies are closed. So yes, I'm dealing. I get dressed, airport security probably doesn't want to see a middle age woman in a t-shirt that's seen so much church it's the holiest of holey! And thank God I did as, as soon as I got on the highway there's a roadblock. Tons of red and blue lights. I'm thinking.....major wreck. So I slow to a crawl and am looking for somewhere to turn around. A cop steps into the road and motions me forward rather impatiently. I pull up and ask if there is a wreck, to which he responds with a "your an idiot" look on his face. No it's a sobriety check point. He asks for my license and then asks if I still live in MO. Um no. But I'm not tell him that. And for the record I have been meaning to change my license from MO to OK for a long time it's just not been a priority, ok!

Have I been drinking? Not today I respond, but give me time. And yes I'm know I'm starting to skate on thin ice but sheesh. He tells me they're looking for bad people. Seriously, he said that. To which I respond, I'm good, I'm really, really good. 10 years ago I bet I would have seen interest instead of indifference dammit!

So I'm waved thru and off I go again. I make it in record time as there aren't even barflies about by the time I get into T-town. I call Bre and she meets me at the curb. Yay. Poor kid hasn't had anything but peanuts since leaving Hawaii. I promise we'll stop at MickeyD's on the toll road. Since when did they start closing at midnight!

So sandwiches and a beer when we get home. See I told him to give me time. We see the digital clock hit 0530 and say goodnight. Tomorrow (today) is Father's Day and lots planned.

To be continued........

Tickets in hand and other stuff

Woot Bre has tickets and orders in hand. She'll be landing in Tulsa at 11pm Saturday night, Mike will follow on Monday and get here at 4pm. He wanted to give us some girl time so he's following a couple of days late. For a youngster he's purty smart :) They'll be here until the 24th.

You can tell she's nervous bring him home. She hasn't brought a boy home since high school and then it was just me and Rob she had to bring him home to. Now that I live back in Oklahoma it's the whole family, both sets of grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins. Poor guy :) She asked me to talk to Rob's mom as she's the one that would interogate him, as in tied to a chair with bamboo under his fingernails. I promised I would run interference.

On to grandparents ~ we found out Monday that Don, Rob's stepdad has cancer in his kidney and they think two spots in his bladder. He will be having surgery the day Mike comes in. They are going to take part of his kidney and both spots out of his bladder. No chemo or radiation.

Even though this is the man I butt heads with all the time and we see nothing the same. And he's a complete and utter bigot, I wish him the best. I told him he's too much of an ass to get any sicker.

Other grandparent ~ We will be taking a short road trip to Springfield to see Rob's dad, Jack and his family. He's the one that has the mail-order family from Vietnam. Bre's never met them and I've only met them once for a short period so this should be interesting. Rob sometimes lucks out on not having to do these things, he won't be in until Wednesday morning. Ugh.

Rob's going to teach Mike how to ride a motorcycle while he's here. If we break him before he leaves we get to keep him right? I thought about "accidently" breaking Bre's leg while she's here, would that keep her from going to Iraq? I've actually gotten okay about this Iraq thing, we'll until she actually leaves the States anyway. Then, who knows.

And for all the listies out there:

Activities for the next week and a half-

1. Roadtrip
2. Hospital visit
3. Motorcycle teaching riding
4. Bowling
5. Boat - skiing, tubing
6. Flyfishing (guys) laying by the river, talking and reading (girls)
7. Family reunion picnic
8. Float trip
9. Horseback riding
10.........Collapsing

Rain, rain, go away

It's raining. Again. Pouring, in fact. And if it's not raining it's blowing. Ugh. It started raining at 1:32 am and hasn't let up. How do I know the exact time? I tend to look at the clock after I push a fuzzbutt off my face. Actually, to be accurate I should say it started thundering at 1:32 last night. Poor puppy.

I've been working from home for exactly a week now and so far it hasn't been fun. I've had server problems, phone problems and unreasonable patients. I guess the one really cool thing about working from home is that instead of having to drag my sorry butt out of bed this morning at 5:30, after a restless night of panting puppy, I rolled over and went back to sleep. Didn't get up until the first time the business phone rang at 9:30.

I have to get into "Bre's" room this week and "finish" the unpacking that I've been doing for 6 months. You know that old saying "outa sight, outa mind"? Yep, that's me. The rest of the house has been "done" since Christmas, but.......

I made Beef Stroganoff this weekend, sometimes (alot of times) I forget I'm the only one at home and still cook like there's still the three of us plus whatever kid has tagged along home with Bre. So I will be eating alot of Beef Stroganoff this week and freezing the rest. *sits here wondering how long it takes to break old habits*

Mike's coming home with Bre, and as much as I adore that boy he's a strange eater. No condiments, nothing white, no cheese, etc. How does an Italian from Philly not eat cheese?! Anyway, being the sweet person I am *snort* will try not to shock him with too many weird meals. And please say a little prayer that the weekend of the 21st and 22nd are nice and sunny. My house is too small for a party of about 25 to be stuck in doors. Plus floating is no fun in the rain.

I just finished "The Book of Air and Shadows" by Michael Gruber. It was a pretty good read, a little dry but all of his books are. I could see it being made into a movie, easily. It was a nice change for me. I tend to get into one genre and burn myself out.

Take Two

I wrote this really long post yesterday only to have the electricity flicker and lose it all. Ugh.

I just moved my office home, as the Doc I work for is moving to Texas. Thank goodness for the computer age or I would be drawing unemployment. It's taken 3 days to organize all of my books, papers, files etc. And I have come to the conclusion that I do NOT need 2 staplers, 3 paperclip dispensers, 5 envelope openers, a mess of scissors, a gaggle of pens and a pod of paper clippy thingamajigs!

I've slept late every morning and stayed up late every night this week. This is bad, and I have promised myself that I will start regular work hours next week.

One good thing is there is not a weed in my flower garden and I've started cleaning out a new bed for more flowers. Which brings me to my help me question - my shasta daisies, not doing so well. Every single one is drooping or dying while everything around them are thriving. Any words of wisdom for Shasta's?

Brangelina - 70 million dollar chateau in France. How do I become an employee? I think I would make a great housekeeper! I totally would be a great celebrity employee, I'm very discreet. So if you all know someone that knows someone, put in a good word for me, won't you?

My post yesterday was much more fascinating *sigh

Maybe 9 days until Bre is home *crosses fingers They still haven't given her an OK to leave yet.

Tagged

Tagged by Arkie

The rules:
a. Link to the person who tagged you.
b. Post the rules on your blog.
c. Write six random things about yourself.
d. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
e. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment at their blog.
f. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

1. I just learned how to link.
2. I am a freaking stud when it comes to killing poison ivy!
3. I did in fact get my tragus pierced and it hurt like a .....
4. I'm buying 2 pygmy goats and naming them Cornbread and Beans
5. I sold my first painting in 15 years for 500.00 the other day.
6. I am eating strawberries that I grew myself.

I tag:

Cutsy
Seana
Kimmah
Slice
Boner
MTW

Just a Jumble

I just have a bunch of thoughts jumbling up in my head, so I'm spewing them here, both good and bad.

Good:
Bre should be in around the 10th of June, she'll get to stay for about 2 weeks before heading up towards Weltek's area. Mike will be following her here about the 20th so "Yay" the rest of the family will get to meet him. They're going for a weekend to Vegas before she reports for combat training, I warned her about Harley's, alcohol and Tunnels of Love :)

Another good - I recently reconnected with one of my dearest friends. She's a rapid cycle bi-polar (or whatever the politically correct term is this week) and anorexia. Or ED as she likes to call him, giving the disorder a male personality makes it something she can control better :). What that means for me is that any ongoing relationship usually falls to me to substain. And while I've never begrudged that last year it was just something I chose to neglect when other things were piling up. Recently I received a phone call from her mother, asking that I not give up on our friendship. Then I received a call from friend that I missed and she left a voicemail telling me about her website. So we've reconnected thru her message board, I think I'm the only non-bipolar there :) But they're a very creative group and it's lit an urge in me to get more active with my art. So I owe her a thanks. And we interact everyday now, and though it's usually just thru printed words it's still good.

Here's an excerpt from a poem she wrote for me:

As children we were best of friends,
as close as we could be,
through thick and thin we braved the world,
together, you and me.

As years went by we changed so much
but loved each other still.
No one could ever tear apart
the bond that we did feel.

It made me cry.

An inbetween good:

I move my job home at the end of this month. Pro's are obvious, cons are I'm a bit nervous, and I'm going to miss most of the work relationships. I'm sure I'll have more to write about this when it happens.

Yuckies:

It's rained so much here the lakes and rivers are swollen. That means boat is still not docked and the float trip we have planned for when Mike and Bre are in are iffy. Ugh

Dad is not taking care of himself where his diabetes is concerned. In front of people he takes care of his diet, no desserts, bread and diet drinks only. But when he's not expecting you to show up at his workshop you can find all sorts of donut wrappers, fried pie wrappers, ect. I'm angry.

Ok, enough with the bad. I'm ending on a good!

Yay, Bre's coming home soon!

Edited! So it took me forever to figure out how to edit, sue me. The post is now readable :)

Sofas

The only thing Rob and I have ever bought new was his truck and an entertainment center. Alot of our furniture he had previous to us. His parents dealt in antiques so I'm not saying we don't have some cool stuff but it's definitely not new.

I have always wanted leather livingroom furniture. So for the past six months I've worked ALOT of overtime and every penny that wasn't spent on Christmas went to new livingroom sofas. Yay, I now have 2 new leather, overstuffed sofas in butter soft leather. The color is rich, the name...cabernet. Doesn't that sound scrumptious?

I went home from work yesterday with rain pouring down. Ran up the steps, opened the door and sighed with pleasure just looking at them. After getting comfy in sweats, I grabbed my pillow, book and a throw I bought especially for my new sofas. Snuggled in and before I knew it was fast asleep. Best nap I've ever taken.

Best thing about them is I can look at them and have something tangible for the work I've done and knowing we reached a goal, albeit a small goal it's still a goal accomplished.

stock photo - ours is double pillowback and NOT recliners and they're cabernet

Rob

Specifically, Rob's birthday.

It's this Saturday. He'll be in Friday. I bought him this way cool hammock/tent thingy. He does alot of hiking when he's out and about, so I think he'll love this.

He's my adventurer, never met a stranger or a strange place guy.

I'm the girl that thinks of "what could go wrong" if we were to float unchartered waters, he's the guy that thinks of "what will we miss if we stay in chartered waters".

If it weren't for Rob I would have never hiked to the Medicine Wheel in Wy (what are you crazy, a bear could eat us) or climbed down the cliff to a secluded beach in HI (what are you crazy, we're going to fall and break our necks) or gazed at the wild mustangs in MT if we hadn't veered off path (what are you crazy, we're not suppose to be here, oh....).

If it weren't for him my world would be a paler shade of color.

I'm a very lucky girl and I hope I give him as many presents as he gives me.

Pronouns

For the first time ever I am living by myself, well mostly. DH gets home for about 4 days every 6 weeks or so.

I went from living with my parents, to living with a room-mate in college, to living with my boyfriend-to-be-husband, to living as a single parent with Bre, to living with Bre and Rob, to living with ME.

At first I didn't really like living with ME. ME bored me to tears. Me and I watched ALOT of TV and we read and we slept and we worked. But after living with ME for almost 6 months now I'm starting to like living with ME.

We quit watching sooooo much TV for starters. And started doing things. We walk the dog, we've gotten back into painting and gardening. We've even bought a bike. We're going to Curves, even though we don't exactly like doing that. We clean, eat, do laundry whenever we want Even if it's 2 am. In fact WE are turning into I. And I kind of like I.

In fact I think it's taken almost 46 years to find out that I can do almost anything I thought it took WE to do. Except I couldn't get the damn sofa carried in from truck to livingroom. That did take a WE!

I sometimes wonder when I turns into WE again if I'll have trouble adjusting.

I have to say that sex is still better as a WE.

My kids -

Compliments

I'm going to start this post saying I have no idea how often I'm going to post. I didn't plan on posting everyday and still don't. But as wonders will never cease I actually have something to say today.

I received lastnight what may be the biggest compliment of my life. In fact I'm pretty sure it was THE biggest compliment I've ever received. And I don't even think the giver realizes what a huge honor he gave me.

The phone rang around 7ish. I was recording Survivor while cleaning out my fridge, ugh. I knew it was Bre by the ringtone, otherwise I would have just let it go to VM. So we chat for a minute and then she tells me that Mike, her boyfriend, needs to talk to me. I love Mike, I call him My Favorite Italian, in fact that's how he's listed in my cell. Keep in mind we've only met face to face for a two week time period while we were out there.

So anyways, Mike gets on the phone and we chat, then he tells me that he's done something I may not be too happy about. Okay. .. He starts off by saying he knows Bre told me about his Mom coming out to Hawaii last week and what a disastrous week it was. She's an addicted gambler who has recently fallen off the wagon and they fought about it. She's lost her last 3 paychecks in Atlantic City. So then he tells me they had to go down to the post and fill out more papers for their trip to Iraq. After Bre put in her papers, Mike put in his. So when it came to the life insurance policy he didn't want to put his Mom as beneficiary because he thinks she'd blow it all and he's just starting to re-connect with his Dad, so he put me. He asked if anything happened to him that I make sure his brother and sister were taken care of. They're underage.

I told him I wasn't upset and that absolutely nothing was going to happen to him! And then asked that he look into setting it up as a trust or something. I also asked that he tell his mother what he did if he can't get it situated differently. But that if anything did and it stayed the same that I promise on my life I would take care of it the way he wanted and that I love him like a son. He said he wished I were his Mom and I told him that would be kind of weird since he's dating my daughter. We laughed and then he gave the phone back to Bre.

I'm still blown away that this guy that I adore would put that much trust in me. I have to say that I will be greatly disappointed if he's not my son-in-law one of these days!

And before I go I just need to say..........OZZY, YOU'RE A DUMBASS!!!! Whew I feel so much better.

2nd Attempt at Coherent thoughts

Ok, so yesterday I created my blog, which I hate the appearance of btw, and 2 sentences in I didn't have anything to say. So here goes the second attempt.

I went to dinner out last night. Yes by myself. Brave of me, huh? There's this decent Italian place down the way. So after I ordered my Eggplant Rollatini I look around the restaurant and being the people watcher I am I start watching these two little old ladies. One is much older than the other but you can tell they are the best of friends. They have to be in their 70's/80's, so they're laughing and having a great time. Suddenly one says to the other "Oops, I laughed so hard I farted" and then they both are giggling again. It made me smile and think that when I'm that age I hope I can giggle like that.

Eggplant was yummy, but not so diet friendly as it was breaded. I did plant some blackberries and some flowers when I got home so maybe that worked off some of the calories. Diesel and I decided not to do our evening walk, he told me he was just wanting an easy night of it :)

I did kiss Brad Pitt in a dream lastnight, maybe that made up for some calories I didn't burn from my non-walk.

Ok, not too awfully bad for a first blog.
Jury's still out on this blogging thing.