Today's theme: Geography

Edited to Add:
Oh Shit! Bad friend, bad friend! It's the young Kathy's birthday today! Happy birthday Kathy!!

So you can hardly be online or flip on the tube these days without hearing about the Q&A snafu by the Miss Teen South Carolina. I admitted this to Julie already, and now I'll admit it to you. Owen, Kev-head and I were WATCHING the Miss Teen USA pageant when it happened. Why? I have no idea. We were flipping channels, watching...I'm not even sure what...when we stumbled on to that. As MTSC answered the question, we all stared at each other dumbfounded. How did we get from "Why can't Americans find the US on a map" to Iraq and South Africa?

Bottom line? Nerves. This is a TEEN pageant for the love. This is the best example of schadenfreude I have ever seen. Everyone loves to see a "beauty queen" fall - see these "perfect" specimens competing in a "scholarship program" (seen Miss Congeniality??) take a dive. Poor Miss America's literal fall on stage was replayed a gazillion times on YouTube, the news, everywhere. (And yes, I was watching that, too, WHEN IT HAPPENED. What am I doing watching all of these friggin' pageants?? Maybe I should see someone about that.)

Is it true? Can 20% of Americans really NOT find the US on a map? And if so, why do YOU think that is? My answer that night and still today is that if it is true, maybe it's because geography isn't a part of standardized testing. That the focus on math and reading is leading away from a true knowledge of World Geography. Joy - you are the teacher among us, do you think the students of today can find America on a map? Do any of you know an adult who can't? I don't. How would you answer?

I know my own husband admittedly knows nothing about geography - he can't locate the 50 states on a map, but he could most definitely find the US on a global map. He admits he paid no attention to that in school because it just wasn't important to him.

Having been in a "scholarship program" my senior year - I was in the running to become "America's Homecoming Queen" No joke. Since I was homecoming queen of my school, some teacher nominated me to become Indiana's Homecoming Queen. From there I could go to Hawaii and compete against all 50 states. ME? Whodawa? I still can't believe I did it. I had to wear a tiara all weekend, and the sash. I had to compete in a "casual-wear" thing that involved an interview. I don't remember the interview at all. I must have done well. Then an evening gown portion that involved walking on this make-shift catwalk. I made friends. Go figure. I came in first runner up. Why? Because of the question. Yes, folks, I too bombed my question. I remember standing in a side room, in my gown, waiting my turn and almost pissing my pants. And this was just in a hotel ballroom in Indianapolis, not national television! I walked out there, completely flushed, and I can still remember the question to this day. "25 years ago JFK said 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country', how does this apply today?"

Are you fucking kidding me? I was 17. HUH? I was in the top friggin' 5, of a pageant, as a band-geek, national honors society nerd. I should have at least had the talking portion down, right? No. I remember looking out at my parents in the audience and freezing. No, I don't remember my answer. I think the post-traumatic stress of it has blocked it from my memory banks. I do remember that it sucked, my answer that is. And that as soon as I walked off the stage, I thought of ten million BRILLIANT things to say. But I didn't say anything intelligent then. Trust me.

So I can cut Miss South Carolina a lot of slack...

Hey you guys...Senator Craig isn't gay...he isn't...really...

GAH! I am so tired...sooooooooooooo tired of the Republican moral right. I am. So Senator Craig got busted like every other moral high horse piece of shit with his hands in the cookie jar. His defense? He only plead guilty to disorderly conduct in MINNEAPOLIS because some newspaper in Idaho was trying to dig up dirt on him. Ummm, yeah. No. Seriously? Who is buying into this shit? Senator Craig, maybe you and Michael Vick need to have a little chat about what it means to make a plea deal. At least Vick took one of the most famous responses of all - he's found Jesus. Yes, kids...this whole sociopathic trip down dog-fighting lane has landed our boy Vick in the hands of JC himself. Well I know I feel better now. How 'bout you?

The only other option for Vick was to go into rehab...either way he's done in the NFL.

But let's come back to Craig. The Today Show was asking the question "Are Republicans held to a higher standard than Democrats?" I don't know? What do you guys think? I think the GOP LOVES to stand on their moral high ground...they've made "family values" and "anti-gay marriage" their own, slamming the Dems over and over again basically labeling them as drunk (sorry Ted) over-sexed (thanks, Bill) liberals who would just as soon screw a goat in the square as their spouses in the bedroom. The Dems have had their share of controversy (hello entire Kennedy family), no one is saying their perfect.

The difference? They're not on the news shows/pundit shows every damn day preaching against the very actions in which they are participating!!! THEY are not SAYING they're perfect day after day like these smug asshats. The GOP is becoming the butt of the joke (pun intended) as much as Catholic priests. Wild Bill didn't pass a law against cheating on your wife before pushing Monica under the desk. JFK wasn't trying to cram family values down everyone's throat while boffing Norma Jean. But these people who are trying to define our moral compass, here they are, side by side with George Michael in the men's room...or should I say front to back? Hmmmm.

No, they're not held to a higher standard. But the hypocrisy is getting old, and the party is suffering. Maybe he'll end up in rehab...

Just another manic monday....

Holy schmoly...I've always hated Mondays...and yesterday didn't suck particularly worse than any other Monday, but it still sucked. Mama Joy typically sends out a "Friday Message" to all of her kids...me included as an unofficially yet UB officially adopted member of her clan. It's her "blog" of sorts, only in email form...catching us up on what she's been up to, and gives everyone a chance to chat about what they've been doing, or if there are plans for the weekend.

I would have to say that besides books and her students (she's a teacher) - the most popular subject is mowing. She is the proud owner of a John Deere...I'm sure she'll respond and tell us what kind, I'm sorry to say I've forgotten.

So the subject for today for me is...you guessed it...mowing. Typically Kev-head and the boys do all the mowing. Sometimes I'll jump on the tractor if the kids are gone...but mostly, I'm out. And considering we have 10 acres, this is no small feat. They seem to have it all down to a science...luckily we still have the old lawn tractor my dad gave us (seriously, I think I used to mow with this tractor in HIGH SCHOOL...wearing a bikini, of course, and lathering on the baby oil for optimum sun attraction. WHAT was I THINKING??? Oh yeah, it was the 80's.) Alex drives this tractor because, since it's so old, it doesn't have any "safety features." Like if you fall off the thing will just keep going and going I think...actually I have no idea. Kevin just won't let Owen ride it. Owen rides the newer mower, I think we got it 3 years ago? It's nice, nothing fancy, but it does have cruise control. Kevin drives the big boy...the large diesel with a 6 foot mower deck on the back - bush hog? Brush hog? What is this actually called???

ANYWAY. Since there are no other tractors to drive, I decide I'm going to be helpful in another way, I'll drive the four-wheeler with the grass-picker-upper-thingy attached. Does this thing have a name? No idea. So Kev-head hooks it up for me and off I go.

Problem one - we have a thumb controlled throttle on the four-wheeler. 2 laps in my hand is already cramping. Boo-hoo, I know...but seriously...ouch.

Problem two - the grass has to be dumped out of the picker-upper. Now there's a rope you have to pull to dump it over, it's supposed to be easy. Except I'm a weakling...absolutely no upper body strength whatsoever. So dumping a picker-upper full of wet grass? Notsoeasy. I have to get off the thing every time and use both arms pulling this rope, using my legs to push off the back of the thing for leverage. I have to look like a complete idiot. It's a wonder I'm not sore today. Seriously...total sissygirl. After dumping several loads (ummmm, yeah, that doesn't sound very good) ... it was getting dark and I hadn't even made dinner yet! GAH!

I made something easy, which still managed to wreck the kitchen. The good news? Cleaning ladies came yesterday...Hooray!

So I guess it wasn't so bad...but now I know why I don't participate in yardwork...

Sidenote: I think they finally found a car for me - the one we thought we had before sold, so my car is coming from St. Louis...I should have it by Friday. YAY!
Sidenote, too: Think good thoughts for the young Kathy - she totalled her car this weekend. She is fine, no the kids weren't with her, but she only had 3 payments left so this really sucks for her. New cars are fun. Car drama is no fun.

No physical contact!

It was an interesting weekend. Alex spiked a fever on Friday night. Pretty high for a kid his age, I think. 103. No other symptoms other than a headache...some minor body aches, mostly in his legs. I chalk that up to growing and high school - he's doing more walking now than ever, and doing it in DRESS SHOES because of the uniform. That cannot be good on the legs. I tried to emphasize getting a pair of shoes that are comfortable because he has to wear them all day, every day, but I'm not the one wearing them, so they might not be the greatest. ANYWAY, what I'm saying is I can overlook the leg pain for other reasons. The boy has grown like 6 inches in a year...he's bound to hurt somewhere, right?

So he has this fever, and I medicate him and put him to bed. Since he has no other symptoms, I basically quarantine his ass there, and tell him so. I don't need a whole house full of germs. And a sick hubby and a sick Owen. (And a sick me for that matter). He could care less.

Still has a fever on Saturday morning. Well, it left with medication and came back. So I medicate him again, bring him some water and some fruit and he basically sleeps the morning away. Noon, he's fine - eating soup, still quarantined to his room because now Julie and H are coming over. I tell him that no matter what, he can't touch anyone, get too close to anyone, he shouldn't even get near anyone. This is funny because Alex doesn't do any of those things anyway. Love with Al is always forced love, and mostly when people come over he stays in his room. He told me he would give it his best effort. When he came downstairs for dinner, Julie laughed because I hollered out "NO PHYSICAL CONTACT!!" I was contact-nazi apparently.

When Julie came she brough Krispy Kremes for the next day. My kids LOVE KK's...like they would marry them. Owen ate some on Saturday, even though they were for breakfast on Sunday. It's also important to note that Tigger came down with her sweet baby on Saturday as well. It's important to note because on Sunday morning, after everyone has eaten the KK's - there's one left. One lonely glazed KK. And Owen begins stalking it. He walks by once, twice...I think three times...checking to see if it's still there. Asks Julie if he can have it. Julie tells him he should make sure everyone's had one. He asks Tigger - "Ummmmm, your baby...what's her name?" Tigger: "Corinne" O: "Yeah, is she gonna want that?"

Corinne is 9 weeks old today. Not even holding her own head up, but Owen is concerned that he should leave the last KK for her, in case she wants to what? Spend all day gumming it and choking? Seriously? He was so funny about it. In the end he got the last KK - and we all moved on. Hungover as we were all overserved the night before...but moving on nonetheless.

OH - and there was the most hilarious EVER when H did a beautiful impersonation of his mother. I couldn't help myself - worst.friend.evah - I LAUGHED my ass off, which cause H to laugh and do it even more. Seriously...H sitting at my kitchen counter - he even did the look that goes with it - sing-songing "laaanguage..." You had to be there, but I almost peed my pants.

Alex is okay today...sent him to school. We'll see how he feels after I guess. After a weekend of quarantine, there was no fever last night and none this morning. It just had to run it's course...

Denial is not just the longest river in Africa...

It's the state of my life. Confession time, lovely bloggers...I was getting my act together...and now I've taken 50 steps back. At least. I'm not sure what's happening. I was so gearing up pre-vacation, and now it's like my mind is on permanent vacation. The stacks of crap that contain the mail I should be going through? Insane. The laundry? Completely out of control. Like, I have no laundry room floor...I have clean clothes piled up in baskets unfolded and wrinkled all to hell stacked on both the washer and the dryer. I have dishes piled in the sink. My bathrooms look like a warzone. All four of them. Don't even get me started on my office. Really. Don't.

And here at work? My office looks like the tornado really did touch down here yesterday, even though it didn't.

I haven't even given Scouting one second's thought, and I'm avoiding my director's calls because I really don't have anything to say to him other than I'm burned out. I don't even have my round-up planned, let alone the rest of my year. Once I get started doing it I'll be fine, but it's that getting started that has me thrown.

Vacation was supposed to be relaxing...and centering...and help to purge everything leaving me refreshed to take on the upcoming school year and get my shit together.

Instead, I'm left floundering. Of course, vacation isn't the only thing to blame...I'm leaning more and more towards the fact that I really do have a some sort of adult attention deficit disorder. You can laugh all you want, because I joke about it all the time. But really? I think there's more too it than I care to admit. And yes, I know I'm busy. And yes, I know I have a lot going on. But really, this is beyond that. I can't seem to get a grip on anything in these last couple of weeks and now I'm paying for it in clutter and denial. I think this is the only thing that a good glass of wine can't fix. Not that I haven't tried. HA! Actually other than Monday night when the girls came over after school board, I haven't reallly had that much wine. And at least I've been cooking every night...that part of my act is still together.

I need some sort of life coach to help me get back on track, either that or medication, I'm not sure which. I'm going to the doctor today to have my hormones checked out, but that's a whole other story.

So think good thoughts for me, lovely bloggers, as I go into the weekend that I'll come out more organized than I went in. I need to make some lists. Set some goals. I seem to do well with lists, and scheduled tasks...

Horrible decisions made easy...

So I have to buy a new car. Normally this would put a knot in my stomach. Because even though it's MY car, it has to pass the husband test. When we go places together, he drives, and he should like the vehicle we have. 5 1/2 years ago, we bought the Impala. We test drove a gazillion cars. It was hell. HELL. Because not only does the hubby have to like the car, he has to like the person from whom we buy the car. And my husband doesn't like people. Well, for the most part he doesn't like people. And let's face it, some car salesman make it difficult to like them. The car buying process is nauseating at best, because you always feel like you're getting ripped off, it's a large payment for something that just depreciates. It's a necessary evil, but getting in bed with the devil doesn't have to be part of it, and sometimes that's how it feels.

But this time is different. I pretty much already knew what type of vehicle I wanted going in. I'm going for the crossover, and I'm buying a Chevy Equinox. Chevy is my thing - I've put 180,000 miles on this Impala and only replaced tires, brakes, the battery (and I JUST did that) and the belt. That's it. Well, there was that window snafu from last year, but seriously, as much as I hit drive-thru's, ATM's and toll booths, how many times do you think I've opened and closed that window in five years...it was bound to go sometime. So when looking at the car/SUV crossovers, there are many from which to choose, but Chevy is my baby, so that's where I'm staying.

Luckily we have some friends who can help us out in this arena. One of my neighbors sells Ford, and a good friend sells Chevy. I got to test drive both the Edge and the Equinox for long periods and see how I liked them. I feel good about it. And bonus, the hubby loves it. We're maxing it out on options, because hey...we make a decent living and I do practically live in my car. It's important. The kids will be spoiled with a DVD player, and I will be spoiled with satellite radio and the ability to play my iPod through the car stereo. It's brilliant. Hopefully I can get my new digs within a week. And yes, Jimmer, I've already contacted my lovely insurance agent about this.

Working with Rob has been a cinch, no worries about haggling or getting screwed, no heated negotiations, no walking out of a dealership with my husband ranting about what a prick the dealer was. Whoo-hoo! Hubby's happy, I'm thrilled...can't wait, in fact to finish the deal. This is not the way this usually happens for me! Of course, now I've jinxed myself and something will go wrong. But I have a pretty good feeling about it so far. And Rob tells me the car was designed by a woman...so there are some perks to the interior that I love, like a place to put my purse that isn't the front seat...it's a fabulous thing.

It's the lovely Linda's birthday today!! She is the wife of Rob, a fellow bowler and a lurker on my blog. I love her like I would marry her...so HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA!!!

Good-by Ruby Tuesday...

Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I'm gonna miss you...

It just feels like a Rolling Stones kind of day, doesn't it? Yes? No? Just me? Well get on the train kiddies...

What a fantabulous busy weekend! Oy! Friday found me and the Kev-head in Chi-town on a rooftop on Waveland watching the Cubbies. I'd never been on a rooftop for a game before - it was soooooo cool! It was all vendor sponsored, so we didn't have to pay for anything - and once we got to the roof, the beer and the food was all around. It was a beautiful thing, lemme tell ya.

After the game we went back to Trader Todd's - I think I've told you guys about this place before. It's brilliant! Great drinks...best guac evah...and we even did a shotski. What's a shotski, you ask?? Well, lovely bloggers...it's a wooden ski, that has 4 holes in it that holds...you guessed it...4 shot glasses. So you and 3 friends can line up and do a shot together. Luckily the Kev-head and I talked our two friends into coming along, so we were all set. We didn't get home from the city until 11:30 - and it was a 1:00 game. Yowzers! That's a lot of beers, babies!!!

Saturday was weigh-in day hell for football...nothing to tell. EXCEPT - Kevin got to play with his birthday present...*gah* NO dirty minded ones...I got him satellite radio. I didn't realize how cool this present was until he installed it. He's completely addicted. We must have all of the accessories now, now, NOW! Commercial free comedy channels 24/7 - he's thrilled. And of course I got to see Julie and Chris and H, which is always a good thing.

Sunday we went to church and grocery shopping...hooray! And yes... I did my food prep for the week...I made a pot of sauce and meatballs that totally rocked. And I know what I'm making the rest of the week...yeah, babies!

How was your weekend??

Happy Birthday to JIMMER!!

It's the Jimmer's birthday, the big 31...happy birthday!!

Tomorrow is the Kev-head's birthday - I won't be here because we're going to the Cubs game...so a big happy birthday to my husband who doesn't even read the blog...tosser.

It's been a whirlwind couple of days, lovely bloggers. I took yesterday off because we were supposed to take the kids to the waterpark. Well, according to the shit news/weather reporting around here, they made it sound like the day was going to be a wash. So we revamped our plans and took the kids out for mexican food and then to the park and then bowling. It was fun, but the whole day we were all really pissed because the rain never came. Well, not until last night. Did you all make it through the storms? We didn't see anything in the south, but north of the river it looks like a warzone. The young kathy has no power, neither does the Tigger. I don't have high hopes of them getting it anytime soon considering that there were 100,000 customers out of power today. YIKES. I couldn't believe all of the downed trees, ripped up rooftops...

On a happier note, Alex started high school today. I was a nervous wreck most of the day. I was so worried for him. Would he find his classes? Would he get everything into his locker? Did he have enough money for lunch? Would he have anyone to talk to? It was like kindergarten all over again. In the end I picked him up and he was f.i.n.e fine (please sing this like Aerosmith). And he looked DAMN handsome in his school uniform. Did he make any friends? Ummm, no. Al doesn't really roll that way. But he will, in time, I'm sure. It took him awhile at Trinity, but eventually he was just fine.

On an agonizing note, Owen is becoming more like me every day, and not in a good way. I almost lost my mind yesterday because for the 3rd time in as many weeks, Owen left something at the football field. And not to knock the coaches or anything, but they never look over the field, see if anything's left behind and pick it up. Last week he left his bag with his inhaler in it. When Kevin went back down there, it was still right where Owen had left it. Tuesday night Owen left his bag with his clothes in it...his chucks, $30 in his pocket, a brand new yug-i-oh deck he had just purchased and ... wait for it... the key to our barn. Now the odds of someone finding this, knowing that it was ours and actually breaking into our barn are slim. But STILL. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of tractors, ATV's, dirtbikes, HARLEY DAVIDSON motorcycle and tools live in that barn. Luckily I drove down to the field 24 hours later and there it sat...in the middle of the field, right where he had left it. And what can I tell him? I'm scatterbrained myself. I usually don't leave my bags at practice, of course, I don't have any practice...but I leave my purse at home...I'll leave the house without a coat in the winter...I leave so many things at my office when I leave for the day it's pitiful. I lost a pair of shoes for a year because they were under my desk. So what do I, of all people, tell him???

Oy.

He starts school tomorrow. AND it's the premiere of High School Musical 2 on Disney - he's so excited for both of these things.

Did I mention how handsome Alex looked in his uniform?

Seriously - I'm sorry lovely bloggers...

OMG...here I am. I am okay. I promise. Still breathing in and out, still floundering in the wake of fabulous beach vacation. Still haven't managed to get my doo-hickey in here to get the pics off my camera. Whoops. I suck. Get used to it. Fall '07 is the season of the sucky Rebecca. I peaked too soon this year. The start of the school year will be a disaster as usual with me weeping into my wine nightly.

Last night Owen and I joined some friends at the Chicago Bears Training Camp. It's only about 40 minutes away, not bad...I can't believe we haven't done this sooner! Because I love football. LOVE football like I would marry it. I really would. Have you seen the pants on these boys? Hellloooooooo...and these boys? Even better looking in person than they are on the big screen. And by big screen I'm of course referring to the 40" LCD flat panel television that my husband WON on Friday. WON...as in, we paid nothing for it. And I believe him, because slick as he is, I don't think even my hubby could hide a $2K purchase from me post-vacation, no way. I'm hawking that checking account something fierce post-vacation. So the TV is, where else, but in our bedroom. Yeah, ummmm, we removed the mirror above the dresser, and that's where the television is. It's brilliant. I love it. Why would I want to look at myself when I can look at Monday night football that huge in my room. BRILLIANT!

The hubby wants to watch porn on it. Ummm, no. Have you seen the men who star in porn? They're hideous. Hid.e.ous. I'm sure this is really working for him - some blond hair, some big boobs up on the screen...but then there's the dude, and really? REALLY? No. No one really wants to have sex with those dudes without getting paid. No one. Nasti-ass skankified porn stars with their porn star faces that they make. Ew. I don't need to see that at all let alone on a 40" HIGH DEF. I'll pass, thanks. I told him when he found porn with good looking male actors we'll talk.

But this isn't about porn is it? Nooooo...this is about FOOTBALL. Robbie Gould? So much better looking in person. Urlacher? LOVE him. But the man to watch, and I have no idea if other sports writers are talking about him...Mark Bradley. Watch him, folks...he's going to be big. BIG. Love him. Grossman is still horrible, I don't care what any of you say. I have to figure out how to get into the VIP section. I wonder if Kev-head knows someone who knows someone who can get us in there. YEAH baby! I got some great pics and they had activities for the kids. We didn't even get to see it all. I'm so going back next year. I have to figure out how to get to Latrobe for Steelers training camp!

On a sad note, Alex didn't make the soccer team. He seems to be handling it well. On a sadder note, the dress code at his school changed. He can no longer wear khakis. I'm so glad I ALREADY BOUGHT HIM 3 PAIRS IN THE SPRING. Tossers. Seriously? What's wrong with khaki's??? Why navy blue pants only? Seriously. Killing me.

School starts Thursday for Alex, Friday for Owen. Strap in folks - here we go!

I'm back in the saddle again...

I'm BACK!

Well, not really. Post vacation work days suck. Post vacation home days are lazy. Kevin came home and started busting ass. But that's him. I think he was actually sitting on vacation making mental lists of all of the things he was going to accomplish when he got home. He actually doesn't know how to relax. His idea of a good time is getting something done. The only task we completed on vacation was emptying wine bottles...and beer bottles...and we were quite successful in that endeavor. But that's still not enough for him. Tosser.

Eileen - you'll be happy to know that my bed is unmade since my return. And it's a disaster. I even made my bed on vacation...but that's mostly because the bedroom was right off the main living quarters of the house and it seemed unsightly to have it disheveled day after day...especially since people were walking through to use our shower. When you're in a pretty house like that one, you just want to keep it...well, pretty.

Last night I came home from work and did nothing. I watched a bunch of shows I had DVR'd while I was gone. But basically I came home, cracked a beer and sat on my getting-larger-by-the-minute ass. I just couldn't do it. Anything. I was so glad it rained the last couple of nights so I didn't have to water my plants. I made hot dogs for dinner. I left the dishes for the kids this morning. I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday. Kevin picked the kids up from football, which was great, because that perpetuated my laziness.

My nailpolish from my pre-vacation manicure is chipping away - I thought several times about getting out the nailpolish remover and some cotton balls, but that would have required me going upstairs, and I just.couldn't.do.it. So now it's sandworn and making me look like a two bit crack whore. Okay, maybe not that bad...but it really looks awful. And I have places to go tonight after work. Ugh.

To further display my pitifulness, I wanted a glass of wine last night...but the bottles and the opener and the glasses were upstairs...while the beer was in the frig in the garage. So I picked the beer.

I'm sure none of you feel sorry for me. And I will snap out of it...probably not until after the weekend. Tigger wants me to come over for a "porch night"...kind of like "deck days" at Julie's...only it's on the porch...and it's at Tigger's. That should snap me out of my funk appropriately.

I can't find my little doo-hickey to get my pics off my camera. When I do, I'll share some highlights. OH! I just remembered where it is. Okay. I'll try and do that tomorrow.

Honeeeeey, I'm hoooooome....

Well I'd love to say that it feels great to be back, ummm, yeah - that would be a lie. A LIE. I love that beach house like I would marry it and it's Africa hot out here and I have too much to do and grrrrr. I think my tan started fading the minute I crossed the Michigan/Indiana border. Bugger.

I'd forgotten how much I missed the beach. Living only an hour away, you'd think I'd get to the lake more...but the hubby doesn't like the beach, and we have a hectic schedule...and, well, I just never get there. But I went down there almost every day of vacation. You know I love it if I was willing to climb those stairs more than once in a day to do it. Holy hell those stairs are horrible. But the beach, the beach is really something. Either you love it or you don't. I could and did sit there for hours reading, sunning, playing in the sand. I even went into the lake a few times...of course, it has to be bath water warm for me...but I did it. And now that I actually have a tan? I want to go back. What are you doing this weekend, Jul? Oh yeah, you'll be out of town...bugger again.

I read a couple of books while I was away...one of them was set in London. So I am hereby adding a new word to my insult vocabulary. Tosser. I used it on Kevin the other day and it felt really good, so I think I'm sticking with it.

Football has started. Owen was sweating it out at practice yesterday. SWEATING. Ew.

More later ... I'm still settling in...

The Gavin/Owen project...

First let me say that this is the life. I'm tan. I have a cold beverage in my hand. I'm resting in a king size bed in a bedroom with more square footage than some entire homes and...wait for it...I have a decent wireless signal so I can blog for you! In bed. with a cocktail. blogging. Seriously...it's brilliant. Brilliant.

Day 4 for us out of 10. And today is when I tell you about the Gavin/Owen project. When you get down to the bottom of the long, long stairs that take you to our private beach here, there is this little river of water that also trickles down the bluff to the lake. Last year Alex and Owen (and I think Chris and Kevin) built a dam to 'shore up' this waterflow. Well this year is like that, only on steroids.

Owen and Gavin have worked for 3 straight days, building wall after wall to make this water move the way they want it to, but never actually letting it get to the lake. They started close to the lake...that is "wall number 1" - a few feet back, closer to the bluff is "wall number 2" and so on, and so on. I think there are 8 walls in all. They work diligently, have "sheduled break times" for playing in the lake....and when they return? HIGH DRAMA! "We have a break in number 6! Water is getting through! Emergency! Emergency!" And they work to patch the break and block the water.

Once they came back from a break and there were several breaches in their very own panama canal...Gavin was working to repair wall number 3 while Owen was pushing the water back. Owen yelled "hurry up, Gavin, I'm giving you as much time as I can, but I don't know how much longer I can push the water back!!"

Then another wall broke down...Owen called for backup "Gavin, come quick, I need help!" Gavin's response? "I've got problems of my own!!"

It's all VERY serious...very dramatic and yells of "Hurry, hurry, this is a MAJOR break!" could be heard all day, every day....which cracks us up. I took some pictures, but haven't checked to see if I have my handy-dandy USB card reader thingy (yes, that's what it said on the packaging) so I can upload them for you. I'll try...but I am, ahem...on vacation. This is a phrase I have to choke out, as my husband says it over and over. Whenever I need him to do something..."honey, can you..." I'm on vacation! I hope Julie's laughing right now because it was the same thing he said over and over again last year.

The Janet has been cooking her ass off. Monday night we had lasagna, last night it was some chicken/artichoke/water chestnut concoction with garlic green beans and salad ... tonight we had kabobs and garlic bread and peach cobbler. Ummmmm, yeah...can you all see my ass getting larger? Between the food and the booze I'm damn glad there are 50 million stairs to get to and from the beach. I can use the exercise!

The family leaves in the morning. Most of them will be missed, but that's a long story for another day. It's been a good beginning. I'm tanning out from my earlier burn and tomorrow the other Kevin Crum comes with his wife and they're supposed to be bringing me wine from California. Hopefully they're bringing reds...because as you know, here in MI...we're all out.