Hi lovely bloggers! Miss me? Do ya? Do ya? Well, we're having beautiful weather here in sunny Michigan. Lots of great beach time. Unfortunately, I forgot to reapply my sunscreen, and well...I fried like a popcorn shrimp. Tops of my thighs are bright red like a fire truck...insert whatever insane comment you want here. And my cleavage...well lets just say that the sisters are beacons like never before. Whoops. Not so much with the hurting...just pissing me off because it's so.damn.hot.
Today was the best day ever. Why? Because we went to the wineries this afternoon, that's why. 4 wineries in 2.5 hours. Brilliant. I love SW Michigan. You know what sucks, though? SW MI couldn't produce a decent red wine if I gave them the grapes. That I grew in California. Because SW MI has no business trying to produce a red. I learned this last year, and then forgot it until we went to 4 wineries today and I tried red after red and wondered why I bothered. Didn't stop me from buying a case and a half of delectable little whites which is WELL worth the trip. mmmmmmmmm...MI whites.
Me, Kev-head, Carol and Rich piled into the car and took off. First stop, Contessa. We know we love Contessa. The owner was serving up the tasting today and he was quite fun to talk to. He set the bar high for personality and good conversation. We talked about wine, cheese, crackers, Harleys, , beers, other wineries in the area, vacation spots...you name it...we talked about it. Super nice guy.
Next stop, Lemon Creek. Not so impressive, but I did try my first ice wine there. I've always wondered how they tasted, but at $25-$75 per bottle, I'm not about to experiment. It's very very sweet....more like an after dinner liqueur than a wine, but still very good. I can't say that I would ever buy a bottle, but it was fun to try. If you can't get past the smell of the place, which is straight up manure as it's also a farm, the Kerner was very good and that's what we all bought.
Off to Tabor Hill...or Snob Hill as we're now calling it. Compared to the warm reception we received at Contessa, this place was more like a morgue. Bitchy lady at reception desk...we're milling about and Kev-head casually says..."oh, they have a restaurant, we should eat here sometime." Restaurant's closed on Tuesday barks ms. personality plus...well THAT turned Kev-head in a second. And Mr. chee-chee-fou-fou serving up the tasting...seriously. Back your shit up. We're not dancing on the bar for crap's sake...we're laughing and having conversation. And then he didn't give us our change. Fuckstick.
Last but definitely not least was Round Barn. I didn't think I would like them because at a tasting last year they didn't impress me. Glad I went! First off - they also brew their own beer, so Kev-head got to enjoy a nice fresh beer while Rich and I sampled their fare. It cost $5 per couple to taste BUT you got to keep you glass AND you can go taste for free at their sister winery. Considering we were tipping $5 at each of the others, this was a total steal. Again, the reds sucked, but the girl behind the counter was nice and knowledgeable and the whites really were impressive.
I bought wine everywhere we went...and some sparkly for mimosas in the morning. That's it for now...remind me to tell you about the Gavin/Owen project...it's very fun.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
It's so hard to say good-bye........
Well, it's Friday. And not just any Friday, it's the Friday before I leave for fabulous beach vacation, the sequel. This is one sequel that I feel really will be better than the first...10 days. 10 DAYS. I'm currently wearing a tank top that I recently acquired from Macy's for entirely too much money. It's got 3 sparkling martini glasses on it and underneath it just says "therapy." Amen to that. If I can't find answers in the bottom of my martini glass, where will I find them???? They're there, I know it. I'll just have to keep looking. I'll let you know what I find out.
Lovely bloggers, BBFF's, I don't know if I'll be able to get with you while I'm gone. I hope to, but as the beach and the booze are calling my name, I'm just not sure what I'll be able to do. Plus I don't think fabulous beach vacation house has DSL, if it did, I would be all over it. Drunk, sun-enriched blogging from the beach house, sounds fab doesn't it?? But I think I'll have to go to the local coffee house to check-in. I'll try, that's all I'm saying.
The organization of one closet is complete. I cleaned all the shelves, trashed what wasn't needed, put everything else into bins. It's brilliant...I'm so happy. I also got all of my sweaters into under the bed containers. Kevin said he wants like 10 of them. Ummm, honey, we only have so much space under a queen size bed.
I'm recovering from my day of waxing. Sort of. Not nearly as bad as it was yesterday, but still enough to cause my husband to run out of the bathroom wailing and holding his crotch. The sacrifices we women make for beauty. Let's bring back the 60's and burn our bras and stop shaving altogether...okay...maybe not the bra part.
I finished Harry Potter - want me to tell you how it ends?? Who dies? Who lives? Do ya? Do ya?? I thought it was good. That is all I have to say about that.
So this may be it for awhile...I'll miss you...oh hell, who am I kidding...I won't even be thinking about you. But I still love you like I would marry you, you know that.
Fabulous Beach Vacation
Lovely bloggers, BBFF's, I don't know if I'll be able to get with you while I'm gone. I hope to, but as the beach and the booze are calling my name, I'm just not sure what I'll be able to do. Plus I don't think fabulous beach vacation house has DSL, if it did, I would be all over it. Drunk, sun-enriched blogging from the beach house, sounds fab doesn't it?? But I think I'll have to go to the local coffee house to check-in. I'll try, that's all I'm saying.
The organization of one closet is complete. I cleaned all the shelves, trashed what wasn't needed, put everything else into bins. It's brilliant...I'm so happy. I also got all of my sweaters into under the bed containers. Kevin said he wants like 10 of them. Ummm, honey, we only have so much space under a queen size bed.
I'm recovering from my day of waxing. Sort of. Not nearly as bad as it was yesterday, but still enough to cause my husband to run out of the bathroom wailing and holding his crotch. The sacrifices we women make for beauty. Let's bring back the 60's and burn our bras and stop shaving altogether...okay...maybe not the bra part.
I finished Harry Potter - want me to tell you how it ends?? Who dies? Who lives? Do ya? Do ya?? I thought it was good. That is all I have to say about that.
So this may be it for awhile...I'll miss you...oh hell, who am I kidding...I won't even be thinking about you. But I still love you like I would marry you, you know that.
Fabulous Beach Vacation
Thursday, July 26, 2007
She wore an itsy bitsy teeny weeny...
Oh who am I kidding - I don't wear a teeny weeny anything...never have...not with the sisters. But as I prepare for fabulous beach vacation, I must tell you about...well...my issue with razor burn. It's embarrassing. It's embarrassingly horrible. But I pretty much share everything here, so why not this. I don't use my pool. I only use my hot tub at night, I sucked it up when I went to Holiday World because among the hillbillies, I figured I was okay.
I've always struggled with this, my whole life. I've changed razors, I've used creams, lotions, pads, gels...I've soaked, shaved slow, shaved fast, used neosporin, there is not a trick you can name that I haven't tried. They're all bunk. Whoever develops them should come talk to me, I don't know who they think those products are helping, but for those of us who suffer, and by suffer, I mean really SUFFER in areas you don't talk about let alone itch in public...they don't fucking work. Ever. Period.
And now, now I'm going on fabulous beach vacation, the sequel, and I don't want to be a freak show. So I sucked it up and did what I did for my honeymoon. I went and got waxed. No, not a Brazilian you perverted freaks...just so I can wear a bathing suit without the fear of bikini spiders. This is the only experience that even comes close to rivaling the joy of the pap smear (scoot to the end of the table...scoot...scoooooooot). AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. At least the lights are dimmer for a waxing and they have calming music. Paps are all bright lights and violation. It really sucks to be a woman, lemme tell ya.
Seen the 40-year-old virgin? An understatement. Because I have to believe the skin on your chest is not nearly as sensitive as your bikini line. I almost bit my tongue off. I used profanity. I think I cried. No, I didn't ... I'm just kidding about the crying part...but the other stuff is true.
So here I sit, wanting to soak in something, trying to finish my work day. But it will be worth it I tell ya - WORTH IT - when I don't have to worry about it for all 10 days of my vacation and then some. Hooray!
I've always struggled with this, my whole life. I've changed razors, I've used creams, lotions, pads, gels...I've soaked, shaved slow, shaved fast, used neosporin, there is not a trick you can name that I haven't tried. They're all bunk. Whoever develops them should come talk to me, I don't know who they think those products are helping, but for those of us who suffer, and by suffer, I mean really SUFFER in areas you don't talk about let alone itch in public...they don't fucking work. Ever. Period.
And now, now I'm going on fabulous beach vacation, the sequel, and I don't want to be a freak show. So I sucked it up and did what I did for my honeymoon. I went and got waxed. No, not a Brazilian you perverted freaks...just so I can wear a bathing suit without the fear of bikini spiders. This is the only experience that even comes close to rivaling the joy of the pap smear (scoot to the end of the table...scoot...scoooooooot). AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. At least the lights are dimmer for a waxing and they have calming music. Paps are all bright lights and violation. It really sucks to be a woman, lemme tell ya.
Seen the 40-year-old virgin? An understatement. Because I have to believe the skin on your chest is not nearly as sensitive as your bikini line. I almost bit my tongue off. I used profanity. I think I cried. No, I didn't ... I'm just kidding about the crying part...but the other stuff is true.
So here I sit, wanting to soak in something, trying to finish my work day. But it will be worth it I tell ya - WORTH IT - when I don't have to worry about it for all 10 days of my vacation and then some. Hooray!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
It's not my story, but I'll tell it if I want to...
There are two, actually. Two stories that don't belong to me...two stories that I didn't even witness, but I feel they MUST be shared.
ONE:
Julie and Chris have a new dog, Ruby. Ruby has been referenced in previous blogs, the last of which found me "shaking the biscuits" at 3 am. (Go ahead and sing it, kathy, I know you are). Ruby is a great dog and Chris has been waiting a long time for them to get a dog. Last year he got a leash for his birthday, but no dog. This year they finally found their Ruby.
So H has a t-ball game last night and Chris decides they should take the dog...which is great, except for the fact that he stands out on the field with H, so that leaves Julie with the dog. And the dog loves people and there are kids running around, small toddlers at that - so Ruby really has to be watched. Not that she'll hurt anyone, she just might love someone a little too much...you get what I'm saying. So Julie can't really pay attention to the game because she's paying attention to Ruby. And she expresses this to Chris. So the next time Chris goes out onto the field? He takes Ruby. Yeah, that's right - put that visual in your head. Chris is coaching 3rd base with the dog. The dog is on the field. As if these toddlers don't get distracted enough? Now when they're standing on 3rd base, waiting for someone to hit the ball and bring them home, they're petting the dog. My husband would have had a stroke. Hilarious. The visual of Chris coaching 3rd base holding a leash and a dog is just too much.
Julie and Chris are officially "those dog people" and I love it like I would marry it.
TWO:
Women have vibrators. They just do. Well, a lot of them do. And a girlfriend of mine kept hers in a bedside drawer? Under the bed? I'm not sure where. But one day, her kids found them, didn't know what they were - massagers, maybe? And started playing with them. No, not like that you sickos... her husband came home to find their son sitting on the bed with "big blue." Do you know about big blue? Because blue is famous around here. When she asked how her husband reacted he said "well, first I took it from him and TURNED IT OFF"...that's right, folks. There sat their 10-YEAR-OLD on the bed, happy as a little clam with a vibrating big blue in his hands. Somehow that makes it worse. And apparently, this is after their daughter chased the cat around the house with the silver bullet. Oh my. I can't even imagine.
At least they found out now, before they showed their friends their parents "massagers." Holy Mother, I think I would die.
So hide your power tools ladies or don't let your kids watch TV in your room...
ONE:
Julie and Chris have a new dog, Ruby. Ruby has been referenced in previous blogs, the last of which found me "shaking the biscuits" at 3 am. (Go ahead and sing it, kathy, I know you are). Ruby is a great dog and Chris has been waiting a long time for them to get a dog. Last year he got a leash for his birthday, but no dog. This year they finally found their Ruby.
So H has a t-ball game last night and Chris decides they should take the dog...which is great, except for the fact that he stands out on the field with H, so that leaves Julie with the dog. And the dog loves people and there are kids running around, small toddlers at that - so Ruby really has to be watched. Not that she'll hurt anyone, she just might love someone a little too much...you get what I'm saying. So Julie can't really pay attention to the game because she's paying attention to Ruby. And she expresses this to Chris. So the next time Chris goes out onto the field? He takes Ruby. Yeah, that's right - put that visual in your head. Chris is coaching 3rd base with the dog. The dog is on the field. As if these toddlers don't get distracted enough? Now when they're standing on 3rd base, waiting for someone to hit the ball and bring them home, they're petting the dog. My husband would have had a stroke. Hilarious. The visual of Chris coaching 3rd base holding a leash and a dog is just too much.
Julie and Chris are officially "those dog people" and I love it like I would marry it.
TWO:
Women have vibrators. They just do. Well, a lot of them do. And a girlfriend of mine kept hers in a bedside drawer? Under the bed? I'm not sure where. But one day, her kids found them, didn't know what they were - massagers, maybe? And started playing with them. No, not like that you sickos... her husband came home to find their son sitting on the bed with "big blue." Do you know about big blue? Because blue is famous around here. When she asked how her husband reacted he said "well, first I took it from him and TURNED IT OFF"...that's right, folks. There sat their 10-YEAR-OLD on the bed, happy as a little clam with a vibrating big blue in his hands. Somehow that makes it worse. And apparently, this is after their daughter chased the cat around the house with the silver bullet. Oh my. I can't even imagine.
At least they found out now, before they showed their friends their parents "massagers." Holy Mother, I think I would die.
So hide your power tools ladies or don't let your kids watch TV in your room...
Monday, July 23, 2007
Now that's what I call American Idol...
You've all seen the "Now..." CD's - compilations of the top hits of that moment in time, or whatever...
the latest has not 1, not 2, not 3 but FOUR AI artists...
Chris Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Elliot Yamin. Some would still say that AI is a farce, a joke, and no indication of what music can be...and yet, 4 out of 20 songs are all AI artists. For those of us who have loved the show since minute one, this is pretty cool...
Now......go buy it....that's an order...
the latest has not 1, not 2, not 3 but FOUR AI artists...
Chris Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Elliot Yamin. Some would still say that AI is a farce, a joke, and no indication of what music can be...and yet, 4 out of 20 songs are all AI artists. For those of us who have loved the show since minute one, this is pretty cool...
Now......go buy it....that's an order...
Sometimes you feel like a nut...
It was an action packed weekend, sort of. Yesterday was completely uneventful. Never left the house. Got another shelf emptied and organized in the closet, I need to get a couple more bins and I can call that one done. Kevin is thrilled.
I got some housework done, but I had to call in the professionals...it's been awhile, so they should be pretty busy today. I'll be so happy when I get home. Apparently Owen left them a note. "To cleaning ladies, you don't have to clean under my bed. Owen." Seriously?? I asked her how bad it was under there that he felt the need to put a disclaimer in...she said there were just a few things. Guess what Owen's doing tonight?
My vegetable garden is finally completely weeded and regrassed. The tomatoes are starting to turn red, very excited about that. Can't wait to make salsa!
We saw the new Harry Potter movie on Friday night. Kevin didn't like it. I thought it was one of the better movies of the series. Everyone keeps talking about how much "darker" it is - I didn't get that impression, but that's just me. We went to Barnes & Noble after that to see what kind of chaos was happening there in anticipation of the book going on sale at midnight. They had a lot of activities - and we got Harry Potter glasses! We had our picture taken, we did some crafts, some puzzles, saw lots of people in costume. The kids didn't bother me so much, it was the adults (who didn't work there) that were troublesome. One lady in a plaid skirt, a white shirt with a Hogwart's tie and black leather boots? Ummmmm, I wasn't sure if she was there for the book or she was on her way to work....
Saturday was awards for LL, and Sat night found us with the RL crew - basically the same as the 4th of July party, only this time it wasn't at my house. The food was, of course, fantastic, and the company was, of course, hilarious. I have stories, oh do I have stories...saving those for later.
Kevin cut a trail through the woods for the dirt bike he acquired. Alex took it for a spin yesterday. I see hospital visits in my future.
How was your weekend?
I got some housework done, but I had to call in the professionals...it's been awhile, so they should be pretty busy today. I'll be so happy when I get home. Apparently Owen left them a note. "To cleaning ladies, you don't have to clean under my bed. Owen." Seriously?? I asked her how bad it was under there that he felt the need to put a disclaimer in...she said there were just a few things. Guess what Owen's doing tonight?
My vegetable garden is finally completely weeded and regrassed. The tomatoes are starting to turn red, very excited about that. Can't wait to make salsa!
We saw the new Harry Potter movie on Friday night. Kevin didn't like it. I thought it was one of the better movies of the series. Everyone keeps talking about how much "darker" it is - I didn't get that impression, but that's just me. We went to Barnes & Noble after that to see what kind of chaos was happening there in anticipation of the book going on sale at midnight. They had a lot of activities - and we got Harry Potter glasses! We had our picture taken, we did some crafts, some puzzles, saw lots of people in costume. The kids didn't bother me so much, it was the adults (who didn't work there) that were troublesome. One lady in a plaid skirt, a white shirt with a Hogwart's tie and black leather boots? Ummmmm, I wasn't sure if she was there for the book or she was on her way to work....
Saturday was awards for LL, and Sat night found us with the RL crew - basically the same as the 4th of July party, only this time it wasn't at my house. The food was, of course, fantastic, and the company was, of course, hilarious. I have stories, oh do I have stories...saving those for later.
Kevin cut a trail through the woods for the dirt bike he acquired. Alex took it for a spin yesterday. I see hospital visits in my future.
How was your weekend?
Friday, July 20, 2007
People are strange...
when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly
when you're alone...
OMG. So - there's a girl that works here - a mean, unhappy, hateful little thing. Like seriously mean, unhappy and hateful. You all know the kind. Well this little nugget of an employee put in her two weeks notice a couple of days ago. No one is sad to see her go. Good riddance.
Usually she putters around the office, never says hi to anyone, not even in passing. But since she put in her notice, she's the happiest thing ever. Giggling, chatting, saying hi to everyone as she passes by. Unbelievable. But today? Today takes the cake. She's wearing a lei around her neck, and a little cone-shaped party hat on her head. A children's party cap, y'all. I'm not even making this up. So someone asked her if it's her birthday. She said "No, I'm just celebrating...I'm so happy!" Well squee! for you. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? She's wearing a lei and party cap. If no one liked her before, we definitely don't like her now. Even the people who do talk to her here? They're flabbergasted. It is the most unprofessional immature thing I've ever seen.
Someone else asked "Did the firm impose the dunce cap or is this a personal choice?" LOVE that thought process. I gave that person a gold star. Literally. She's now wearing a gold star on her sweatshirt.
So it begs the question - does she really think that a new job is going to make her a happier person? Other people have left here - and I was sad to see them go. But ultimately their new jobs/life experiences are so much better for them, as people, and I truly believe they are happier now that they've left the firm. Job happy. Not life happy - they were already perfectly balanced, happy individuals and having job satisfaction has made them so much more so. It's brilliant. But this person? No way. No way she just walks into a new office and what? Changes everything about herself to make her a happy person? Never.gonna.happen.
I once said about this person that she should stop working in office settings altogether, that she should seriously consider working somewhere that involves no people. At all. I think I mentioned working in a county park sitting in a booth by herself. I don't know, ask Tigger - that's who I said it to and it almost made her pee herself. And you guys know me...I like EVERYONE!
Oh shit, I think I've done serious damage to my karma now - I'll have to do something nice for someone else to make up for it. But not her. I refuse to be nice to her. Ever.
*ETA: Ding-dong the witch is dead. Her big plan was to go to lunch and not come back. Instead she told her super she was leaving and not coming back, and that was that. I've never deleted accounts so fast in my life.
Faces look ugly
when you're alone...
OMG. So - there's a girl that works here - a mean, unhappy, hateful little thing. Like seriously mean, unhappy and hateful. You all know the kind. Well this little nugget of an employee put in her two weeks notice a couple of days ago. No one is sad to see her go. Good riddance.
Usually she putters around the office, never says hi to anyone, not even in passing. But since she put in her notice, she's the happiest thing ever. Giggling, chatting, saying hi to everyone as she passes by. Unbelievable. But today? Today takes the cake. She's wearing a lei around her neck, and a little cone-shaped party hat on her head. A children's party cap, y'all. I'm not even making this up. So someone asked her if it's her birthday. She said "No, I'm just celebrating...I'm so happy!" Well squee! for you. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? She's wearing a lei and party cap. If no one liked her before, we definitely don't like her now. Even the people who do talk to her here? They're flabbergasted. It is the most unprofessional immature thing I've ever seen.
Someone else asked "Did the firm impose the dunce cap or is this a personal choice?" LOVE that thought process. I gave that person a gold star. Literally. She's now wearing a gold star on her sweatshirt.
So it begs the question - does she really think that a new job is going to make her a happier person? Other people have left here - and I was sad to see them go. But ultimately their new jobs/life experiences are so much better for them, as people, and I truly believe they are happier now that they've left the firm. Job happy. Not life happy - they were already perfectly balanced, happy individuals and having job satisfaction has made them so much more so. It's brilliant. But this person? No way. No way she just walks into a new office and what? Changes everything about herself to make her a happy person? Never.gonna.happen.
I once said about this person that she should stop working in office settings altogether, that she should seriously consider working somewhere that involves no people. At all. I think I mentioned working in a county park sitting in a booth by herself. I don't know, ask Tigger - that's who I said it to and it almost made her pee herself. And you guys know me...I like EVERYONE!
Oh shit, I think I've done serious damage to my karma now - I'll have to do something nice for someone else to make up for it. But not her. I refuse to be nice to her. Ever.
*ETA: Ding-dong the witch is dead. Her big plan was to go to lunch and not come back. Instead she told her super she was leaving and not coming back, and that was that. I've never deleted accounts so fast in my life.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The little orange cat that could...
So - here's a continuation of the cat story - the orange cat has been caught - apparently after riding to Munster and back in someone else's vehicle frame...and someone in Kev-head's office took her home. So orange cat now lives in Demotte.
AND she's letting people pet her. All the time. Loves people apparently. So I guess it's just ME she didn't like - when she clawed and bit the hell out of my finger.
Great.
AND she's letting people pet her. All the time. Loves people apparently. So I guess it's just ME she didn't like - when she clawed and bit the hell out of my finger.
Great.
Organization...I'm really trying...
So are you all falling over with my almost week's worth of getting my shit together?? It's unbelievable at best. As Julie would say, the forces of the universe are at work here - and they're talking to me, and they're telling me to get it together already. Take charge! Quit living in squalor!
Last week I had had it with my disorganized messy home. HAD IT. That's when I went to the store, started meal planning, cleaned all those rooms in one night and started the new me. The very next night the young Kathy told me about an Oprah show she watched about organization, clearing up the clutter. There was some get-your-shit-together expert on and she was telling me some of the details.
I started looking around my house. Remember how I posted just that morning that I needed to clean my closets?? Do you see how the forces of the universe are talking to me.? That guy...that guy I didn't even see, totally influenced me. He's right - I do hang on to too much stuff. I have things in my closets I haven't used in 5 years, let alone the last year and they are taking up space and keeping me from being able to store things I actually DO use.
This must stop.
And yes, Eileen, my bed is made. Now I'm just taunting you because it's fun. Please don't leave me! *please*
So last night I went to Target and bought some storage bins. BUT - I didn't buy them with lids - I bought the kind with DRAWERS. This is the key. I was talking to Carol about it last night. If you stack bins with lids, you have to unstack them to get to your stuff. If you have bins with pull out drawers, you can access everything without moving anything. She thinks it's brilliant. Do you see the brilliance??
I started small, only bought 3, and because I went shopping, I didn't have as much time when I got home last night. I did get that load of whites done. And I did make tacos. I did replace the nasty ass shower curtain in my husband's bathroom (that was an add-on), and I did put in one bin, successfully cleaning up the crap on the closet floor and creating a storage space for the toilet paper. The toilet paper was previously thrown in on top of the crap that was on the closet floor. Hopefully the rest of that closet gets cleared out tonight and the stuff I want to keep will start to fill those remaining 2 bins.
Wish me luck, folks, I'm going in.
Last week I had had it with my disorganized messy home. HAD IT. That's when I went to the store, started meal planning, cleaned all those rooms in one night and started the new me. The very next night the young Kathy told me about an Oprah show she watched about organization, clearing up the clutter. There was some get-your-shit-together expert on and she was telling me some of the details.
I started looking around my house. Remember how I posted just that morning that I needed to clean my closets?? Do you see how the forces of the universe are talking to me.? That guy...that guy I didn't even see, totally influenced me. He's right - I do hang on to too much stuff. I have things in my closets I haven't used in 5 years, let alone the last year and they are taking up space and keeping me from being able to store things I actually DO use.
This must stop.
And yes, Eileen, my bed is made. Now I'm just taunting you because it's fun. Please don't leave me! *please*
So last night I went to Target and bought some storage bins. BUT - I didn't buy them with lids - I bought the kind with DRAWERS. This is the key. I was talking to Carol about it last night. If you stack bins with lids, you have to unstack them to get to your stuff. If you have bins with pull out drawers, you can access everything without moving anything. She thinks it's brilliant. Do you see the brilliance??
I started small, only bought 3, and because I went shopping, I didn't have as much time when I got home last night. I did get that load of whites done. And I did make tacos. I did replace the nasty ass shower curtain in my husband's bathroom (that was an add-on), and I did put in one bin, successfully cleaning up the crap on the closet floor and creating a storage space for the toilet paper. The toilet paper was previously thrown in on top of the crap that was on the closet floor. Hopefully the rest of that closet gets cleared out tonight and the stuff I want to keep will start to fill those remaining 2 bins.
Wish me luck, folks, I'm going in.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Hair appointment? What's that crazy talk??
So it's Tuesday, July 17th. Lucky for me I keep this blog...I can look back to the exact date I had my hair done. Ummmmm, yeah it was 3.5 months ago. THREE AND A HALF MONTHS. My birthday week of beauty...that's when it was...I've aged a whole quarter of a year since I last saw my stylist. My grays are showing, my split ends are hideous and I don't even think I HAVE a style anymore. This is what my busy ass little league season has done to me. Bullshit, that's what it is!
I can't get in to see her until next Saturday...I'm so sad. That will be the day before I go on fabulous beach vacation, so I guess that's good. But until then, I have to look like...this. Oy.
Speaking of hair - Carol called me this weekend - she thinks she's getting some peach fuzz on her head. This is very exciting!!
Scott says my blog is making him tired...well, lemme tell y'all, I'm keeping this schedule and it's making me tired, too.
My husband finally asked me last night...hey - you made the bed this morning? Ummmm, yeah. Why? Because I'm tired of not having any covers. I've been doing it for the last 5 days. Really? Oh, I just noticed.
Oh snap. Seriously? Did you notice I've been keeping the kitchen clean and that there's food in the house and I finished all the laundry? ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN BITCHING ABOUT FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS??? For the love...
And on a not-so-funny-yet-informational-note - I think we're infesting Highland with kittens. We had 5 kittens in June. For the last few days there's only been 2. Now we're down to 1. Why? Well, they've apparently found a new home. In Kevin's truck. And this morning we know for a fact that the kitten made it all the way to Highland, UNDER the truck. Because when he got to work, he heard meowing. And then they saw her. So Alex put on some gloves to retrieve her (these kittens are feral anyway, and now she's totally freaked by a 1 hour road trip) - but he dropped her, and she ran off. There's no getting this one back. She's gone (sing it with me Hall & Oates...)
So for those of you (ahem, Jen...Julie...) who like to make fun of me for having too many cats? I'm down to 6, one of which isn't even MINE...it just adopted us. 5 cats, 1 kitten, which is perfectly reasonable with 10 acres of land. So there.
I can't get in to see her until next Saturday...I'm so sad. That will be the day before I go on fabulous beach vacation, so I guess that's good. But until then, I have to look like...this. Oy.
Speaking of hair - Carol called me this weekend - she thinks she's getting some peach fuzz on her head. This is very exciting!!
Scott says my blog is making him tired...well, lemme tell y'all, I'm keeping this schedule and it's making me tired, too.
My husband finally asked me last night...hey - you made the bed this morning? Ummmm, yeah. Why? Because I'm tired of not having any covers. I've been doing it for the last 5 days. Really? Oh, I just noticed.
Oh snap. Seriously? Did you notice I've been keeping the kitchen clean and that there's food in the house and I finished all the laundry? ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE BEEN BITCHING ABOUT FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS??? For the love...
And on a not-so-funny-yet-informational-note - I think we're infesting Highland with kittens. We had 5 kittens in June. For the last few days there's only been 2. Now we're down to 1. Why? Well, they've apparently found a new home. In Kevin's truck. And this morning we know for a fact that the kitten made it all the way to Highland, UNDER the truck. Because when he got to work, he heard meowing. And then they saw her. So Alex put on some gloves to retrieve her (these kittens are feral anyway, and now she's totally freaked by a 1 hour road trip) - but he dropped her, and she ran off. There's no getting this one back. She's gone (sing it with me Hall & Oates...)
So for those of you (ahem, Jen...Julie...) who like to make fun of me for having too many cats? I'm down to 6, one of which isn't even MINE...it just adopted us. 5 cats, 1 kitten, which is perfectly reasonable with 10 acres of land. So there.
Monday, July 16, 2007
I need a weekend to recover from my weekend!
So the weekend is supposed to be relaxing, right? A break from the workweek? Ummm, yeah, no. Not that it wasn't fun, it totally was. But today I'm exhausted!
Friday night found us at the RFL. Well, actually, first it found us at Julie's house for cocktails and pizza BEFORE the relay for life. Is it wrong? Wrong that we had cocktails prior to walking the track? I don't think so. We made it over there around 9:30, and the kids were excited to walk/run the track for the cause. Hooray! And then they weren't excited. The little ones had to go home and go to bed...the big ones were looking for entertainment. At least they had activities for the kids - playing football, baseball, dodgeball, kickball, all of the balls were represented. Wait. That doesn't sound right. Moving on. I walked and walked and walked ... the kids played and played and played. I took them back to Julie's around 12:30 hot and sweaty and ready for rest. They stayed up until 2:30, and that's when Julie and I lost Ruby. Her dog.
Whoops.
It was innocent enough...Ruby wanted to run a little before going to bed. Seems reasonable. Except she ran away. Far away. We don't know where she went, actually. No Ruby. So there we are, at 3am, looking for a dog in the dark, shaking a container of biscuits. I called the Jimmer, who was at the relay just a block away to see if Ruby was walking the track for the cause. His first response "She's not here, did you shake the biscuits?" OMG. Yes...we shook the biscuits. Finally she came home and Julie and I went back to walk the track until about 4am. Long night.
H had a t-ball game at 10am. This is a very early game when you've not gone to sleep until 4. When your old. Like me....the evening's events and my presence were a little too much for a little 3-year-old - because he wanted NOTHING to do with t-ball. nothing. He wouldn't go out onto the field...and when he went into the dugout? He asked his coach if he could lay down on the bench. He hit the ball, which was great, but by the time he got to 3rd he was a hot mess and left the field. Inning number two? Owen had to go out onto the field with him, and even that wasn't enough to keep him out there. He hit the ball again in the second inning, but this time he was done after 1st base. Whoops. I guess a late night and our presence is not a good combination for t-ball.
Went to DQ and the European Market after the game, though I'm not sure what makes it European. It looks like every other farmer's market I've been to, fresh produce, plants, baked goods, artwork, jewelry...and...wait for it...CHEESE. Oh yeah, babies...my personal favorite. Of course I had to buy some.
Then we had my niece's birthday party in the afternoon, and then I went to see Darren, Jon and Laura play for a little while in Valpo. Love seeing them! They took a break not long after I got there so I got to visit with my friends in addition to hearing them play. I didn't get home until after 12. I got to sleep in on Sunday, but I was wiped! Yesterday found me getting all sorts of things accomplished: laundry, running kids to birthday parties, laundry, food prep (yes, Tigger, I browned my ground beef for the freezer!) I also made a big salad for the frig, and grilled some chicken for it...we're having that for dinner tonight! I hard-boiled eggs for said salad and for breakfast if anyone wants one. I boiled some chicken for the chicken and noodles recipe I plan to make this week (thanks to the tigger!) AND I used the BBQ sauce that Tigger gave me on some pork chops last night for dinner. Yummy-friggin-yummy! I highly, HIGHLY recommend the Winking Lizard BBQ sauce. Then I was outside weeding some of my gardens...not finished, but after 2.5 hours of it, I was spent.
And after all this, I still have a clean kitchen, an empty laundry room, my bed MADE (HA, Eileen) and a refrigerator/freezer full of stuff that I can make for dinners - most of which won't take me very long. Hooray!
And this, this is why I'm spent. Exhausted. Done. How was your weekend?
*New Eileen blog if you click on the link on the side!
Friday night found us at the RFL. Well, actually, first it found us at Julie's house for cocktails and pizza BEFORE the relay for life. Is it wrong? Wrong that we had cocktails prior to walking the track? I don't think so. We made it over there around 9:30, and the kids were excited to walk/run the track for the cause. Hooray! And then they weren't excited. The little ones had to go home and go to bed...the big ones were looking for entertainment. At least they had activities for the kids - playing football, baseball, dodgeball, kickball, all of the balls were represented. Wait. That doesn't sound right. Moving on. I walked and walked and walked ... the kids played and played and played. I took them back to Julie's around 12:30 hot and sweaty and ready for rest. They stayed up until 2:30, and that's when Julie and I lost Ruby. Her dog.
Whoops.
It was innocent enough...Ruby wanted to run a little before going to bed. Seems reasonable. Except she ran away. Far away. We don't know where she went, actually. No Ruby. So there we are, at 3am, looking for a dog in the dark, shaking a container of biscuits. I called the Jimmer, who was at the relay just a block away to see if Ruby was walking the track for the cause. His first response "She's not here, did you shake the biscuits?" OMG. Yes...we shook the biscuits. Finally she came home and Julie and I went back to walk the track until about 4am. Long night.
H had a t-ball game at 10am. This is a very early game when you've not gone to sleep until 4. When your old. Like me....the evening's events and my presence were a little too much for a little 3-year-old - because he wanted NOTHING to do with t-ball. nothing. He wouldn't go out onto the field...and when he went into the dugout? He asked his coach if he could lay down on the bench. He hit the ball, which was great, but by the time he got to 3rd he was a hot mess and left the field. Inning number two? Owen had to go out onto the field with him, and even that wasn't enough to keep him out there. He hit the ball again in the second inning, but this time he was done after 1st base. Whoops. I guess a late night and our presence is not a good combination for t-ball.
Went to DQ and the European Market after the game, though I'm not sure what makes it European. It looks like every other farmer's market I've been to, fresh produce, plants, baked goods, artwork, jewelry...and...wait for it...CHEESE. Oh yeah, babies...my personal favorite. Of course I had to buy some.
Then we had my niece's birthday party in the afternoon, and then I went to see Darren, Jon and Laura play for a little while in Valpo. Love seeing them! They took a break not long after I got there so I got to visit with my friends in addition to hearing them play. I didn't get home until after 12. I got to sleep in on Sunday, but I was wiped! Yesterday found me getting all sorts of things accomplished: laundry, running kids to birthday parties, laundry, food prep (yes, Tigger, I browned my ground beef for the freezer!) I also made a big salad for the frig, and grilled some chicken for it...we're having that for dinner tonight! I hard-boiled eggs for said salad and for breakfast if anyone wants one. I boiled some chicken for the chicken and noodles recipe I plan to make this week (thanks to the tigger!) AND I used the BBQ sauce that Tigger gave me on some pork chops last night for dinner. Yummy-friggin-yummy! I highly, HIGHLY recommend the Winking Lizard BBQ sauce. Then I was outside weeding some of my gardens...not finished, but after 2.5 hours of it, I was spent.
And after all this, I still have a clean kitchen, an empty laundry room, my bed MADE (HA, Eileen) and a refrigerator/freezer full of stuff that I can make for dinners - most of which won't take me very long. Hooray!
And this, this is why I'm spent. Exhausted. Done. How was your weekend?
*New Eileen blog if you click on the link on the side!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Happy happy happy birthday....
It's Julia Goolia's birthday, y'all - give it up!!
36 years young and ab fab...
Tonight will be birthday celebrations...hoooray beer!
It's Friday the 13th...are you scared? Are ya? ARE YA?? You know me - killers and all - once it gets dark I'll be scared. But Julie will protect me from Jason (jasonjasonjasonjasonkillkillkillkill).
Lemme bitch about a couple of things.
One - Alex, conveniently enough for all the working moms out there, has soccer practice from 2-4 Tues-Thurs. 2-4. TWO UNTIL FOUR. It's light out until 9pm...we can't have an evening practice? Not once? Gah! I'm making this happen with the help of my hubby, but c'mon people. I guess they just assume that at the high school level, most of the kids are driving themselves? And then next week, they are scrimmaging against Crown Point. At least that's at 5pm.
Two - One of the kids at practice yesterday did drive himself...in a blue corvette. A BLUE CORVETTE. I still have never driven a corvette in my lifetime, and this kid is driving one to soccer practice.
Three - Buying books for private school SUCKS ASS. Because, apparently, and I didn't know this, there is no book RENTAL like public school. You actually buy them. $510 for the year. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Seriously, kill me now. I figure I'll also have $200 out in uniforms and shoes. GAH!
Four - I guess I'm just bitching about Andrean, aren't I?
Five - Football starts in less than a month. We just got the email about weigh-ins...August 18th - first game is August 26th. I cannot believe I'm already putting football dates on my calendar. There is a camp at the high school next week - 3 nights, 2 hours per night. So I guess there is no break after baseball....
36 years young and ab fab...
Tonight will be birthday celebrations...hoooray beer!
It's Friday the 13th...are you scared? Are ya? ARE YA?? You know me - killers and all - once it gets dark I'll be scared. But Julie will protect me from Jason (jasonjasonjasonjasonkillkillkillkill).
Lemme bitch about a couple of things.
One - Alex, conveniently enough for all the working moms out there, has soccer practice from 2-4 Tues-Thurs. 2-4. TWO UNTIL FOUR. It's light out until 9pm...we can't have an evening practice? Not once? Gah! I'm making this happen with the help of my hubby, but c'mon people. I guess they just assume that at the high school level, most of the kids are driving themselves? And then next week, they are scrimmaging against Crown Point. At least that's at 5pm.
Two - One of the kids at practice yesterday did drive himself...in a blue corvette. A BLUE CORVETTE. I still have never driven a corvette in my lifetime, and this kid is driving one to soccer practice.
Three - Buying books for private school SUCKS ASS. Because, apparently, and I didn't know this, there is no book RENTAL like public school. You actually buy them. $510 for the year. FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Seriously, kill me now. I figure I'll also have $200 out in uniforms and shoes. GAH!
Four - I guess I'm just bitching about Andrean, aren't I?
Five - Football starts in less than a month. We just got the email about weigh-ins...August 18th - first game is August 26th. I cannot believe I'm already putting football dates on my calendar. There is a camp at the high school next week - 3 nights, 2 hours per night. So I guess there is no break after baseball....
Thursday, July 12, 2007
What a difference a day makes...
Well, I got some stuff done last night, so I'm not feeling quite so overwhelmed...though I have a long, loooooong way to go.
The good:
Grocery shopping...HOORAY! While my pantry is overflowing, I didn't really have anything to make actual MEALS. This is a problem. I got all the basics and then some - the produce alone was worth the trip. So many things are in season now. I managed to make both egg salad and fruit salad and got all my produce cleaned and ready for use. Tonight I have to get all my meats ready. There's something very satisfying about browning all of my ground meat and freezing it in 1 lb bags so all I have to do is defrost it and I'm ready to make a wide variety of things.
My bathroom is clean! Seriously, it looked like vagabonds had moved in and claimed the space. My husband's bathroom as well...yay sparkling sinks!
My bedroom is vacuumed and dusted AND the sheets changed...crawling into a freshly made bed is the best.feeling.ever. AND I made the bed this morning before I left. I hope this becomes a habit, but we'll see.
My microwave and stove top are no longer embarrassing. Sweet.
My living room is vacuumed and dusted...while it doesn't get much use, it collects dust like nobody's business.
The bad:
The weeds are still a dominant force. Sunday. This is for Sunday.
My closets - well - let's just say I don't even know what's IN half of them. I will take these on one at a time. Hallway, foyer and my bathroom.
The office. Heaven help me it is the catch all for everything. EVERYTHING. It has to stop.
The stack of crap.
I'm giving myself a deadline. All of these things MUST be done before fabulous beach vacation. Because after that we're into football and then school and then the insanity begins again. Think good thoughts for me.
The good:
Grocery shopping...HOORAY! While my pantry is overflowing, I didn't really have anything to make actual MEALS. This is a problem. I got all the basics and then some - the produce alone was worth the trip. So many things are in season now. I managed to make both egg salad and fruit salad and got all my produce cleaned and ready for use. Tonight I have to get all my meats ready. There's something very satisfying about browning all of my ground meat and freezing it in 1 lb bags so all I have to do is defrost it and I'm ready to make a wide variety of things.
My bathroom is clean! Seriously, it looked like vagabonds had moved in and claimed the space. My husband's bathroom as well...yay sparkling sinks!
My bedroom is vacuumed and dusted AND the sheets changed...crawling into a freshly made bed is the best.feeling.ever. AND I made the bed this morning before I left. I hope this becomes a habit, but we'll see.
My microwave and stove top are no longer embarrassing. Sweet.
My living room is vacuumed and dusted...while it doesn't get much use, it collects dust like nobody's business.
The bad:
The weeds are still a dominant force. Sunday. This is for Sunday.
My closets - well - let's just say I don't even know what's IN half of them. I will take these on one at a time. Hallway, foyer and my bathroom.
The office. Heaven help me it is the catch all for everything. EVERYTHING. It has to stop.
The stack of crap.
I'm giving myself a deadline. All of these things MUST be done before fabulous beach vacation. Because after that we're into football and then school and then the insanity begins again. Think good thoughts for me.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
It's over!
Oh HELL yeah! Baseball is done, baseball is done. I wish you all could see me dancing in my chair right now. Baseball is d.o.n.e.done. Hip-hip-hooray!!
I don't even know where to start. I have groceries to buy, laundry to do, a house to clean, gardens to weed, books to read, wine to drink!! Hooray wine!
18 days until my vacation - and yes, it's 18, Jimmer. Because while you didn't think I counted today, I leave and arrive at my destination on the 29th, thus beginning the vacation. So I only have to wait 18 days until I'm sitting on the beach. Especially considering half this day is gone, and I won't check in until half the 29th is gone...soooo as of right now 17 full days and 2 half days before I'm on the beach. Is that exact enough for you??? I stick out my tongue in your general direction. You're just jealous because you're not going. HA!
Feeling stressed today instead of relieved - like now that I have more time I have this list - a looooooong list of chores and tasks that I want to get done. And it all seems like too much. Ever have that feeling?
I don't even know where to start. I have groceries to buy, laundry to do, a house to clean, gardens to weed, books to read, wine to drink!! Hooray wine!
18 days until my vacation - and yes, it's 18, Jimmer. Because while you didn't think I counted today, I leave and arrive at my destination on the 29th, thus beginning the vacation. So I only have to wait 18 days until I'm sitting on the beach. Especially considering half this day is gone, and I won't check in until half the 29th is gone...soooo as of right now 17 full days and 2 half days before I'm on the beach. Is that exact enough for you??? I stick out my tongue in your general direction. You're just jealous because you're not going. HA!
Feeling stressed today instead of relieved - like now that I have more time I have this list - a looooooong list of chores and tasks that I want to get done. And it all seems like too much. Ever have that feeling?
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Heartbreak hotel...
Well - our baseball season is officially over. And I can say that I'm only partially glad to see it go. Well, mostly glad. The boys have been subjected to a slaughter fest, and they are not the slaughterers...they are the slaughterees (did I just make up words? I think so....). It's pitiful. And horrible. And not much fun.
But alas - I have my life back. At least until football starts when we return from fabulous beach vacation, the sequel. 19 days. 19 days until I'm sitting on the beach with drinks in hand. 19 days until I get to go to wineries any day I want. 19 days until I get to spend time with all sorts of family and friends.
The countdown begins.
But alas - I have my life back. At least until football starts when we return from fabulous beach vacation, the sequel. 19 days. 19 days until I'm sitting on the beach with drinks in hand. 19 days until I get to go to wineries any day I want. 19 days until I get to spend time with all sorts of family and friends.
The countdown begins.
Monday, July 09, 2007
We are family...
I got all my sisters with me...
Guest blog by our very own Sugar Snap Pea, who had her BIRTHDAY this past weekend...so HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEA!!
Guest blog by our very own Sugar Snap Pea, who had her BIRTHDAY this past weekend...so HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEA!!
Families:
Summer is the time where I tend to spend the most time with my extended family. My extended family includes everyone I am related to that is not my Mother, Father, Sister, or Grandpa. I have recently come to the conclusion that my Mother's side of the family really does not like us (my sister and myself). I went to a GNO with that group (on protest) with my Mom. I went because I knew my mom would not go by herself, and she wanted to go. So Friday night found us with this group (from now on they shall be known as the Bitches). Now, before I tell you what happened Friday night, I have to tell you this. Four years ago, my mom's sister, Aunt Donna, lost her husband. Two years ago, she found herself engaged. My Aunt Donna's counsin (one of the bitches) threw a engagement party for her and Tony. My mom called Cousin to find out the details, and was told that the "girls" (My sister and I) were not invited!!!!! NOT INVITED, not invited to my own Aunt's party. WOW I thought, that is really odd. Then I found out WHO was invited and that just rubbed salt into the wound. We are family, I thought, and half of the people there were not, WTF (BTW the engagment soon broke off. I told my Aunt Donna it did not work because it is bad luck not to have you nieces at the engagment party). So, that year I declined to attend that side of the family reunion. "Screw em" I thought, they want to pick and choose when I am going to be considered family, I will pick and choose when I will show up...NEVER.
So, back to Friday night. We get to the "Bitches" function. My mom wanders off to see an old cousin she had not seen in a while, leaving me to my own. I pop open a beer, and move over to a table, where I spotted my cousin's wife, and the hostess of the party. I get to the table, and say "HI". At that point, my cousin's wife and the HOSTESS OF THE PARTY look at me, don't say a word, and continue talking amongst themselves as if nobody said HI or anything. CRUSHED I TELL YOU, JUST HOPELESSLY CRUSHED. Quickly I made a mental note of everything I could have possible done or said in the last three years since I have seen these two, and nuttin comes to mind. I turn around, take a drink of my beer, and quickly move to the opposite side of the room and saddle up to the corner of the bar closest to the door. I pull out my phone to text Big R that this was exactly the mistake I thought it would be, when the nicest of the "bitches" comes to talk to me, cousin Julie. We have a nice conversation, I got some food, sat next to my mom, and shortly left shortly thereafter and went shopping at Home Depot.
Now, my dad's family reunion is completely the opposite. Big Huges, Kisses, interesting conversation about anything and everything, a huge event that I have not missed in years, and don't intend too. AND, AND, Every year I get invited to the July 4th bash and family reunion of my BFF, and am treated so warmly by the people there, some of which really don't know who I am, but don't care. Perhaps that is the point. Perhaps the people who know me, don't like me (not that that side of the family really know me). Perhaps it is because my mom's side of the family is "light" and my dad's side of the family is "dark" (skin tone, hair color) and I take after my dad. I look like that side of the family, and there really is no trace of the "bitches" side to be found in me (except the bitch part). I feel more a like part of the family when I am with my BFF's family. How weird and wonderful is that? I have no idea how my mom came from such horrible stock, but she certainly did not inheret those traits.
It's funny, when people use the expression, "They treat me like family", in my case, that means, you are treated badly. What are your family stories?
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Two post kind of day...
If you've ever wondered why I hate Dubya so much, why my disdain runs so deep, please watch this video from one of my favorite and most famous journalists on television - Keith Olbermann.
Jimmer - you've asked me about my feelings on issues before - and why I feel this way. This commentary sums everything up. I love this country, and everything it stands for, and this man...this horrible excuse for a politician, president and human being, is taking this country that I love and pissing on it.
Please watch:
Jimmer - you've asked me about my feelings on issues before - and why I feel this way. This commentary sums everything up. I love this country, and everything it stands for, and this man...this horrible excuse for a politician, president and human being, is taking this country that I love and pissing on it.
Please watch:
It's my party and I'll....
drink if I want to
drink if I want to
drink if I waaaaant to
You would drink, too, if it happened to you...
oh my oh my...what a fun 4th of July. We threw together a last minute holiday party for Tuesday night since none of us had to work on Wednesday. It started with inviting one other family over - and that turned into inviting all of the coaches from the all-stars team and their families over - and THAT turned into inviting the other families that we usually hang out with in RL...and then of course, I had to call Julie...all together, with kids...9 families, 35 people. 35people for a last minute, planned on Monday night at 8pm after practice, get together. We had food, we had booze, we had fireworks. We had kids playing ball in the yard (with16 kids, we practically had two complete teams), we had kids jumping in and out of the pool, into the hot tub and back into the pool.
On Tuesday someone here at the office said "the last minute parties are the best" - and I think they're right! The guys never left the deck. They just kept pulling more chairs around the table out there - it's supposed to seat 5 - there were 9 of them, and their coolers. The women took over the inside main level. We ate in the living room, we drank in the kitchen - and then someone decided we should play a game. "Do you have any games?" Sue asked. Ummmm, yeah - and then I unleashed the game closet. "You have an impressive collection of games" said Cinde. Yes - let's play! We chose Outburst - and while there are updated versions of this game, our version is circa 1986 - ummmm, that's 2 decades of outdated material. Hilarious. One of the topics was "Brands of Coffee" - and it was hysterical that all of the brands we named (Starbuck's, 8 o'clock, Seattle's Best) didn't make the list, of course - but my answer of Sanka was there as well as Brim and Nescafe...seriously - BRIM??? Hilarious. By this time the drinks were flowing as were the shots of cherry pucker. Yeah, you read that right - we were doing SHOTS of PUCKER. What are we? 19? F-ing brilliant. And this game involved shouting - so there we are, 9 women around a table drinking and shouting. Our children would come upstairs for snacks holding their ears, because let's just say it sounded like there were more than 9 of us by the time that sound bounced off the hardwood floors, the walls and the sliding glass doors with nothing to absorb it. And we all like to talk. And yell. And laugh. We had to impose a "no one under the age of 21 in the dining room" rule - because we also all tend to be a bit vulgar. WHAT? Shocking!!
And then there were fireworks. Chris was all upset because he didn't feel like he bought enough. I don't know what he was thinking, because they put on quite a show! And we didn't have to leave the house! Another round of cocktails for all my men!
Then it was into the hot tub for the ladies.....and just when our conversation turned VERY adult-only - we find out that some of the kids were on the other side of the wall spying on us. Holy mother - I will not tell you what we were discussing (it wasn't horrible, it wasn't even about sex - it was just plain not suited for children) - of all the times for them to spy, it had to be then? The amount of damage control that came afterwards was staggering. We're still emailing about it. Oy.
It was a grand time - I got an ab workout from laughing so hard. Yesterday was more low key, with people returning to the house to pick up left chairs, left food containers, forgotten shoes and clothing, cars...you know...the usual. :) Julie and Chris and H spent the day at their "vacation house" in the pool and playing in the yard.
So happy birthday America - I love you like I would marry you.
drink if I want to
drink if I waaaaant to
You would drink, too, if it happened to you...
oh my oh my...what a fun 4th of July. We threw together a last minute holiday party for Tuesday night since none of us had to work on Wednesday. It started with inviting one other family over - and that turned into inviting all of the coaches from the all-stars team and their families over - and THAT turned into inviting the other families that we usually hang out with in RL...and then of course, I had to call Julie...all together, with kids...9 families, 35 people. 35people for a last minute, planned on Monday night at 8pm after practice, get together. We had food, we had booze, we had fireworks. We had kids playing ball in the yard (with16 kids, we practically had two complete teams), we had kids jumping in and out of the pool, into the hot tub and back into the pool.
On Tuesday someone here at the office said "the last minute parties are the best" - and I think they're right! The guys never left the deck. They just kept pulling more chairs around the table out there - it's supposed to seat 5 - there were 9 of them, and their coolers. The women took over the inside main level. We ate in the living room, we drank in the kitchen - and then someone decided we should play a game. "Do you have any games?" Sue asked. Ummmm, yeah - and then I unleashed the game closet. "You have an impressive collection of games" said Cinde. Yes - let's play! We chose Outburst - and while there are updated versions of this game, our version is circa 1986 - ummmm, that's 2 decades of outdated material. Hilarious. One of the topics was "Brands of Coffee" - and it was hysterical that all of the brands we named (Starbuck's, 8 o'clock, Seattle's Best) didn't make the list, of course - but my answer of Sanka was there as well as Brim and Nescafe...seriously - BRIM??? Hilarious. By this time the drinks were flowing as were the shots of cherry pucker. Yeah, you read that right - we were doing SHOTS of PUCKER. What are we? 19? F-ing brilliant. And this game involved shouting - so there we are, 9 women around a table drinking and shouting. Our children would come upstairs for snacks holding their ears, because let's just say it sounded like there were more than 9 of us by the time that sound bounced off the hardwood floors, the walls and the sliding glass doors with nothing to absorb it. And we all like to talk. And yell. And laugh. We had to impose a "no one under the age of 21 in the dining room" rule - because we also all tend to be a bit vulgar. WHAT? Shocking!!
And then there were fireworks. Chris was all upset because he didn't feel like he bought enough. I don't know what he was thinking, because they put on quite a show! And we didn't have to leave the house! Another round of cocktails for all my men!
Then it was into the hot tub for the ladies.....and just when our conversation turned VERY adult-only - we find out that some of the kids were on the other side of the wall spying on us. Holy mother - I will not tell you what we were discussing (it wasn't horrible, it wasn't even about sex - it was just plain not suited for children) - of all the times for them to spy, it had to be then? The amount of damage control that came afterwards was staggering. We're still emailing about it. Oy.
It was a grand time - I got an ab workout from laughing so hard. Yesterday was more low key, with people returning to the house to pick up left chairs, left food containers, forgotten shoes and clothing, cars...you know...the usual. :) Julie and Chris and H spent the day at their "vacation house" in the pool and playing in the yard.
So happy birthday America - I love you like I would marry you.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
This shit has gone too far...
And no, I'm not talking about the commuting of the sentence of Scooter jackass Libby...
I'm talking about ...
The man room. Have I talked to you guys about the man room? I looked through the blog and didn't see anything, so I'm not sure.
The man room started innocently enough. My husband wanted to build a side room in the barn for his bike. Someplace out of the way for winter storage. He doesn't like storing it in the garage because people come in and out, kids come in and out, cats come in and out - he didn't want his baby to be abused. Completely understandable. Build your little motorcycle room, I said, but it better not cost me a mint. No, no, no, he said - I've got some wood leftover from other things, some paint left over from other projects...it won't cost a THING. Are you hearing me people? Not a thing. Who is buying this load of malarky? No one? Yeah, I didn't think so.
What this has become is something else entirely. What it has become isn't a motorcycle room. It's a man room. Julie referred to it as the masturbatorium. The phrase stuck.
What it became is a pet project for Kevin and the kids. They all built it...walls, doors, the works. Male bonding. It has a window air conditioning unit - but NO WINDOW. It has CARPET - which of course he bought. It has a refrigerator for "man room beer" that I am not allowed to drink, which materialized from who knows where. It has it's own cooler. It has the old broken chair from the basement that rubbed a groove in my drywall - it has a desk with his Harley lamp, which he bought. It has street signs and work signs all over the walls and ceiling. His fishing poles are mounted in this room, for which he bought a special rack. This is the home for the "inappropriate" calendars, signs, decorations...it has a clock that looks like a tire. It has special camping chairs, which he bought. Supposedly his guns will be mounted in this room, and I've made it clear that they must be locked up if they're going to be mounted anywhere - which means there's something more to buy.
Last weekend Alex and Kevin were in the barn working on heaven knows what and I couldn't find them...there they were, in the man room, with the AC on, reading magazines. Seriously? 3600 square feet of house and there they are sitting in a gray, windowless room in the barn. WHAT? I do not understand this concept. But, I guess I'm not a man.
And now, now he's gone too far. I came home and checked my bank account to see what's cleared, where we are after the weekend and I notice a $45 charge at Joey's Wallpaper World. Ummmm, what? Whodowa? So I call the husband - and sure enough - he spent that $45...on a wallpaper border...for the man room. You know, the room that wasn't supposed to cost me anything? I don't have window treatments in my living room and you just spend $45 on a wallpaper border for a room IN THE FUCKING BARN??? Holy mother - redick - ridiculous. Of course it's a motorcycle border - which makes it what? Cool? Agggggh.
A part of me thinks I should be grateful...at least he's not trying to pull this shit in the house. That ugly-ass, noisy-ass Harley lamp WAS in my BEDROOM for crap's sake. Eww. No. I did not faux finish my bedroom walls to have a Harley lamp sitting on the bedside table. No.
Every man who comes to the house thinks this room is a stroke of genius, and it's yet another thing for the future wives of my sons to be pissed at me for - they will forever think that it's completely normal and expected to have a man room. I'm so sorry future wives, I'll mix the cocktails and try to explain it to you - maybe by then I'll have it figured out.
I'm talking about ...
The man room. Have I talked to you guys about the man room? I looked through the blog and didn't see anything, so I'm not sure.
The man room started innocently enough. My husband wanted to build a side room in the barn for his bike. Someplace out of the way for winter storage. He doesn't like storing it in the garage because people come in and out, kids come in and out, cats come in and out - he didn't want his baby to be abused. Completely understandable. Build your little motorcycle room, I said, but it better not cost me a mint. No, no, no, he said - I've got some wood leftover from other things, some paint left over from other projects...it won't cost a THING. Are you hearing me people? Not a thing. Who is buying this load of malarky? No one? Yeah, I didn't think so.
What this has become is something else entirely. What it has become isn't a motorcycle room. It's a man room. Julie referred to it as the masturbatorium. The phrase stuck.
What it became is a pet project for Kevin and the kids. They all built it...walls, doors, the works. Male bonding. It has a window air conditioning unit - but NO WINDOW. It has CARPET - which of course he bought. It has a refrigerator for "man room beer" that I am not allowed to drink, which materialized from who knows where. It has it's own cooler. It has the old broken chair from the basement that rubbed a groove in my drywall - it has a desk with his Harley lamp, which he bought. It has street signs and work signs all over the walls and ceiling. His fishing poles are mounted in this room, for which he bought a special rack. This is the home for the "inappropriate" calendars, signs, decorations...it has a clock that looks like a tire. It has special camping chairs, which he bought. Supposedly his guns will be mounted in this room, and I've made it clear that they must be locked up if they're going to be mounted anywhere - which means there's something more to buy.
Last weekend Alex and Kevin were in the barn working on heaven knows what and I couldn't find them...there they were, in the man room, with the AC on, reading magazines. Seriously? 3600 square feet of house and there they are sitting in a gray, windowless room in the barn. WHAT? I do not understand this concept. But, I guess I'm not a man.
And now, now he's gone too far. I came home and checked my bank account to see what's cleared, where we are after the weekend and I notice a $45 charge at Joey's Wallpaper World. Ummmm, what? Whodowa? So I call the husband - and sure enough - he spent that $45...on a wallpaper border...for the man room. You know, the room that wasn't supposed to cost me anything? I don't have window treatments in my living room and you just spend $45 on a wallpaper border for a room IN THE FUCKING BARN??? Holy mother - redick - ridiculous. Of course it's a motorcycle border - which makes it what? Cool? Agggggh.
A part of me thinks I should be grateful...at least he's not trying to pull this shit in the house. That ugly-ass, noisy-ass Harley lamp WAS in my BEDROOM for crap's sake. Eww. No. I did not faux finish my bedroom walls to have a Harley lamp sitting on the bedside table. No.
Every man who comes to the house thinks this room is a stroke of genius, and it's yet another thing for the future wives of my sons to be pissed at me for - they will forever think that it's completely normal and expected to have a man room. I'm so sorry future wives, I'll mix the cocktails and try to explain it to you - maybe by then I'll have it figured out.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Holiday World - a world all it's own...
So this weekend found me in Owensboro, KY, Santa Claus, IN and Evansville, IN. It was a whirlwind trip. We had a very nice visit with the Adams family. (No, not the Addams family...)
Saturday was our trip to Holiday World. What a great little park!
The good:
The amenities include free soda, free sunscreen and cell-phone wristbands for kids. Seriously - they have beverage stations set up all over the park - you can swing into one at any time and get a fountain drink of your favorite pepsi product. Eileen - I so thought of you and your DP habit! My drink of choice that day was pink lemonade - I think I drank a gallon! Jen took advantage of the free sunscreen oasis - what a great idea that park has. And the cell phone wristband? Brilliant - you can write your cell # on a band and attach it to your kids. If you get separated and they ask for help - someone can call you. LOVE this idea.
Parking is free.
I got lunch for $6. We ate at the Alamo and I got a 2 taco and burrito combo and it was $6. And it came with a cookie!! At the end of the night we stopped in the Plymouth Rock Cafe in Thanksgiving town and had the best rotisserie chicken EVER. The flippin' meal there is only $7, too - seriously - LOVE this place.
The average temp of the water in the waterpark is 88 degrees. YES!
No smoking in the park...they have designated smoking sections.
It's so damn clean!
The bad:
I couldn't walk around in my bikini top and daisy dukes. HA! Yeah right. But seriously, they do require a shirt over your bathing suit top if that's the way you roll.
The bad, for real:
The roller coasters are wooden. I'm pretty sure they should have a team of chiropractors and/or acupuncturists at the exit of these rides. Beat up - I was beat.up. After riding each of these one time, I think it might have actually re-aligned my c-spine - so I stopped. Call me a roller coaster snob - but if they're not made of metal, I'm not riding. Period.
The music - oh my. I couldn't listen to God Bless America one more time in the 4th of July section. Killing me. And of course there were Christmas songs in the Christmas section. I don't remember being annoyed in Halloween town or Thanksgiving...and they were playing the Beatles in the waterpark, so no complaints there.
Pepsi?? Why Pepsi?? I guess it's good - this way I stuck to lemonade.
Waterpark lines were a bit much. But it is a Saturday in June, what do I expect?
We may be going to Six Flags in a couple of weeks, depending on what happens with all stars. I imagine I will not have this many good things to say about that experience...but at least they have metal coasters.
ETA: I updated the link to the new Eileen blog...check it out!
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