Nothin' but Nett

I'm back

2012-01-02T11:26:00.001-05:00

It's the second of December and so far I've posted everyday of 2012....WOOHOO! I'm using the free wifi at the Omaha airport while I'm waiting for my delayed flight. Luckily my flight is only 11 minutes delayed and I have a 2 hour layover for my second part of my flight. If I get in early enough I will try to post some more. I have some pictures to share. Bet you can't wait to see them.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T22:58:00.006-05:00

I hope your year has started out with a bang...or atleast a little fun! I had a nice visit with family and think it would be nice to do the same things next year. It was just low key...can't beat that.

Getting a head start...

2011-12-31T01:41:00.004-05:00

I am now operating a sweat shop in my Mother's house. She's my main employee. She didn't get a choice in the matter, I just put her to work with little to no pay, just patience and understanding...for the most part I threatened to have her family deported if she didn't raise her productivity, but she kind of liked the idea, since she doesn't get a lot of peace and quiet. I personally kind of like the USA and I can't keep an eye on her when I'm half way around the world, since I forgot that I was her daughter. She's a good little worker though. I set her up with making a triangle template on the back of a bunch of circles. Then I had her folding them while I glued.

Three down, a million to go. I should be done with 2012's Ornie Exchange project by midnight, which will put me ahead of the rest of the gals.

2011-12-30T19:22:00.002-05:00

The sky was pretty interesting yesterday evening. The sun was sinking below the tree line and it was sprinkling which created a double rainbow behind us. I was driving so I wasn't really thinking about pulling over to get a shot of it when the rainbow was doubled and super bright. I took these pictures after the rain had stopped so I really missed the prettiest part of the sunset and only caught one ring of the rainbow, but it was still super bright and pretty, none the less. That's the one thing I love about Nebraska...the sunesets are usually lovely. It's because there is nothing blocking its view, just miles and miles of farmland. The second thing I love about Nebraska is the people. Not all of them, but the ones that remind me that its a great place to live. You know, the people that always say hello or wave, even though they don't know you. The people that stop and help a person with car problems, those are my kind of people. They hold doors open for you instead of letting it go in your face. Yep, good people. It's home. It's home and its a good place to come from.

The Annual Christmas Ornament Exchange

2011-12-29T23:46:00.005-05:00

I didn't take a lot of pictures at our Annual Ornament Exchange this year...I guess I was busy laughing. Anyway, I bet Tami will make sure I get a copy of her pictures. I can't wait to see them. That is Amy and Tami holding up one of the ornaments I made this year...I usually make more than one because I'm crazy. Anyway, this year I used combed wool that I needle felted. It took a while but it was fun and I like trying new things.
We took our exchange to a hotel in Lincoln this year. It's kind of our new thing, though I'm not sure Amy will ever want to sleep in the same room as me again. I was smacked with a pillow AT LEAST 8 times between 2AM and 7AM. It seems I snore...lol, which I knew but its always worse when my allergies are acting up. I knew it was bad when I got up and looked in the mirror. My eyes were red and puffy...not a pretty sight. The best part was when Michelle tried to tell me that nobody hit me with pillows because she would have seen it happen. She was up all night and didn't sleep at all. I told her she must have been dreaming because I was indeed snoring. We went around and around before Amy came to breakfast and admitted she was whacking me with pillows all night. I'm pretty sure that our summer camping trip is going to be tanked after that nightmare. Amy and Tami would end up sticking the whole pillow in my mouth if they have to listen to me roar another night, especially if its hot out. Although, now that I think about it, Amy should be happy to put up with me. After all, I was the one that told her that she still had that silver bow in her head when we walked into the resteraunt last night! lol.

Anyway, a good time was had by all. I'm excited about next year!

Want to meet our friend Katie?

2011-10-28T11:27:00.005-04:00

Skippy likes to decorate for holidays. Sparky does too but not as much as Skippy does. You see, decorating takes a lot of energy and after a long day of kindergarten, Sparky only has time to grump and complain. The kid is exhausted. So, while Skippy and I stuffed the scarecrow that we named after our own Katie Leach, Sparky sat in a chair and tried to supervised. Sheesh that kid needed a nap. I finally had to tell her that she couldn't complain about our scarecrow not looking the way she wanted it to if she didn't help make it. That zipped her lips for about a minute. I also got a dirty look out of her but that I'm used to...silence, not so much.

Anyway, we wanted a scarecrow but we didn't have the clothing to make one. I ran over to the Salvation Army Store and found the jeans for $3.oo, which still had the tags on them and the shirt for $4.oo. It was more than I wanted to spend but the colors were fun for out fall decorating. I had purchased a burlap bag at the local flower nursery and a straw hat on sale at the craft store. I had a skinny board that I hammered into the bale of straw so the Scarecrow would sit up straight, then I cut a hole in the seat of the jeans so the board would act as a spine. I didn't paint the face on "Katie" until the following morning...because grumpy needed to go in the house and relax. She wouldn't go by herself...go figure. We attached the yarn hair with safety pins as well as the hat. I think she looks pretty good. We tossed on a few crows that we bought at the dollar store for added amusement.

I think she turned out great.

Sparky is an actress!

2011-10-28T11:09:00.003-04:00

Sparky has a cold. No biggie, just a little cold. She also loves to watch TV. We have a strict 1/2 hour a day policy here. Now on the weekend when she is being a pain in the you know what, she seems to get away with a couple hours added to that limit. It's not on my time, so I don't really care what goes on...but I run a tight ship. Anyway, She was bouncing off the walls the entire weekend. I guess she also was enjoying her extra viewing time. She had asked her Mom if she could stay home from school if she was really, really sick. Of course the answer was yes. We don't send kids to school if they are really sick. You just can't function if you are feeling so poorly that you can't think straight.
Well, Monday Morning, Sparky was mad at me because I had the nerve to wake her up. She was moaning more than usual...she's not a morning person lately. She told me that Mommy said she could stay home. I felt her head and she wasn't running a temperature. So I asked her what was making her feel bad. Did her tummy hurt, her head, her throat...ect. Nope, none of those she just didn't feel good and wanted to stay home. I told her I would call Mommy and let her know...but I thought she should know that if we stay home sick, we don't get to watch TV all day. When we stay home sick, we relax in bed and look at books if we are bored. She tried to tell me that she was going to watch TV and I told her in no uncertain terms that she would not be watching TV, she would be in bed, getting better. That is what sick people do after all. I then told her I had to go make Skippy's breakfast and call Mommy to let her know that Sparky was sick and that I was going to make a doctors appointment for her. I hadn't even finished making Skippy's oatmeal, when who bounds into the kitchen, completely dressed and looking for breakfast. Yes, all the moaning and groaning was a thing of the past. Sparky recovered in less than 3 minutes. She announced she was feeling better and was going to school.

Hmmmm, I guess she wasn't sick after all.

Sad news

2011-10-14T19:43:00.002-04:00

Today, my Mom's little brother lost his battle with cancer. He's no longer in pain.

Uncle Richard is now in a better place.
I'm sure Grandma and Grandpa Slater will be glad to see him.

When it comes to friends,..I'm blessed,

2011-09-06T21:11:00.002-04:00

Every time I get together with my bestest (I know that's not gramatically correct, but I like it better than best) friends from High School, we try to take a group picture. Sometimes we forget...but that's life. This summer, we decided to be a little goofy, since we are getting older, though you'd never know it by the way we act. Michelle's husband had a bad motorcycle accident earlier this summer and so we used his wheel chair, walker and krutches for props. Since I'm the oldest, I got to be the one pushing Tami in the wheel chair. I thought it was fitting, since I'll probably be the first one in one. Michelle is on the krutches and Amy is behind the walker. I can't speak highly enough about each of these gals. They are the best. Truely, the best. They have the kindest hearts, biggest laughs and the craziest stories...all true stories too. If everyone had friends like mine, the world would be a better place I wouldn't trade them for all the riches in the world.

The Phin

2011-09-05T22:06:00.003-04:00

My Nephew is a little goofball. I love him to pieces but oy vey, he's a turd. The thing about Phin is that he's not the kind of kid that warms up to you fast. Don't get in his face or think you are going to walk in the door and have him climb up on your lap or have him drag you off to play with him. Nope, he takes his sweet time deciding he'll allow you to be his pal. Most likely, he'll spends the first half of the day telling to piss off in 2 year old fashion and then if you are lucky, he might spend the end of the day laughing with you, hugging you, and chasing you around the house. Don't be a fool and think its going to carry over to the next day...oh no, he'll want nothing to do with you, until he gets used to you all over again. It kind of feels like Groundhogs Day. Oh and if his Papa Allen is around, forget about it. He's a Papa's Boy. I seriously want to have a chat with Phin about his choice of pals and good influences. I mean, really...Papa?! Whatever! Once, he decides you are OK, you are in...until then, stay away from him and zip it. He'll let you know when he wants you to entertain you. It annoys the crap out of me....but I still love him. It's really worth the wait for those hugs and kisses.

The Rue

2011-09-05T21:47:00.002-04:00

The Rue is growing up fast. I just don't get to see her as much as I would like. Let's face it, two times a year isn't enough. Thank goodness I get three weeks int he summer to spoil her and annoy her and load up on Rue hugs and kisses. It breaks my heart when she tells me she doesn't want me to go and that she'll miss me. Oh how I love that Rue!

School starts tomorrow!

2011-09-05T20:37:00.002-04:00

Oh people, I'm a happy woman right now! Yes, school starts tomorrow and Skippy and Sparky are BOTH going to be in school a full day. It's about time. The summer was great, I went on vacation and I came back to a couple of girls that thought all the old rules no longer applied. Oh, let me tell you, its been an interesting couple of weeks. It's like I had to retrain them. They yelled, they stomped, the cried that fake cry they think sounds real. Alas, they got nowhere fast.

Pickled Sun Tea...yum, my favorite!

2011-07-16T23:46:00.005-04:00

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I like ice tea, UNSWEETENED! I really can't understand why people put sugar or any kind of artificial sweetener in the a perfect creation like Ice Tea. It doesn't need it. Honestly, gags me, just thinking about it. Ewwww! Anyway, I've been drinking a lot of sun tea lately. We finally ate the last pickle out of a HUGE industrial size jar of dill pickles. I washed that jar really well, filled it up with water, stuck a couple of tea bags in it, screwed the lid back on and stuck that sucker in a nice sunny spot in the back yard. Well, as soon as that tea was brewed, I stuck it in the fridge to cool and waited. Later,I took out one of "my" big glasses (I don't share my big glasses) and filled it up with ice, poured it full of tea, and grabbed a book. Well, from the very first gulp, it tasted strange, yet familiar. I sat there for a while and tried to figure out what that taste was and whether I liked it or not. I finally decided I did, but still wasn't sure what it was. I figured it was the type of tea I used. I hadn't really paid much attention to the brand. When I checked, I ruled that out because it was one I'd used before. It was a run of the mill tea, nothing special. Hmmm....then it came to me. I tasted dill pickles. I had washed the jar super well with hot water and soap but it still had a dill pickle taste. The crazy thing is that I decided I really like it. No, REALLY, I did, I liked it! I'm sure sooner or later, the taste will leave my little jar behind...but for now, I'm going to enjoy every sip of my Pickled Sun Tea-Unsweetened of course.

It's getting easier!

2011-07-16T11:32:00.002-04:00

The girls and I were inspired to Tie Dye again. Actually, it was there idea. We did a Dye project last summer which consisted of socks, spaghetti undershirts, and t-shirts. They wore them a lot, especially the socks. Skippy was very fond of the socks, but only wears them in the colder months because they are pretty thick. This year we were inspired to make strappy beach cover ups, t-shirts and Sparky dyed one of her white denim skirts. It wasn't really white anymore...after 10 washings, I still couldn't get the dirty butt clean, even bleach didn't cut it. I don't know what she sat in or slid in, but it did a number on that skirt. The kid I bought was super easy to use...and you didn't have to leave the dye for 24 hours, just a mere 6-8 hours...so I was able to wash it out that evening.
I had forgotten what a mess it was to wash out all that extra dye bofore you can wash the clothes. Yikes what an ordeal. My fingers are still slightly blue/purple and that's after I took bleach directly to my skin. One of these days, I'll get a picture of the girls in their new creations. If I can get them to stand still long enough.

It's nice to be back!

2011-07-13T10:56:00.003-04:00

I am really feeling happy about blogging again! REALLY, REALLY Happy! Life is good at the moment. Ah, who am I kidding...life is normally really GREAT! I'm sure most people wouldn't thing much of the life I live, but lucky for me, I've never cared what most people think. I do what makes me happy and if they don't like it, they can stick it in their kazoo and toot it.

The only draw back to not blogging for a long time...is the lack of comments I have. Basically none at the moment. That's fine, people will discover that I'm back and will start checking in again. I know it! I just have to be patient. Oh yeah, sure I could send out notice emails but I don't really want to. I figure they will come back in their own time. I'm not in a rush.

I just got a call from Skippy's camp to let me know that her bus gets back later today then they had announced. She is on a special trip otherwise she'd be done at noon. This means that Sparky and I have an extra half hour of freedom. That also means Sparky will get a little more one on one attention that she craves and Skippy won't be picking on her or interupting us when we are playing. Sparky can play for HOURS with playdough or her doll house...Skippy might last for 5 minutes, yeah I said MIGHT! She's been a basket case lately...she can't focus on anything for very long... boom, she's on to something else. We are working on that little issue but its a hard thing to do. I don't rush to do whatever is in her head at any given time. I make her clean up and wait until Sparky and I are done. It kills her but She has to get used to it. She can control herself at school, so if she can do it there, she can do it at home. Plus, she has been driving everyone nuts because she's "up your butt" (Her mom's phrase, not mine) all the time. It's true, she will follow you around and you can't move without stepping on her. She's like a puppy or a cat, always underfoot. I have a highter tolurance for it than her Mom but I get annoyed after several days of it as well. Maybe I'll take Sparky to the library to play on the computer for a while. That always works out well for us. I perch on a chair next to her, reading my book and when she needs help she taps my arm. We have to return books anyway, so we might as well write down our Summer Reading Program titles while we are at it.

Beach Club here I come!

2011-07-13T10:32:00.004-04:00

I love the beach, the beach likes me too...but the SUN that shines at the beach, well...it has it out for me. I am fair skinned. I have to face that fact. I burn easily, and I may not look burnt when I leave the beach but give me a few hours after I leave...whew, I start looking like a lobster. The last time I went to the beach with the girls, I spent most of my time in the shade of the cabana which is nowhere near the reflextion of the ocean or the pool. I was coated several times with sunblock too, that's a given. Their Grandma was trying to get me to sit next to her in the sun. I told her I couldn't, I'd fry and she said to put on a little sunblock, I'd be OK. I told her very nicely that there was no way I was going to sit in the direct sunlight. She thought I was a little nutty but she went along with it. I took the girls to the playground for a little bit and discovered they had a nice shady area for me and then we went to the pool for a half an hour. There wasn't any shade at the pool but I had put on a fresh coat of sunblock and half the time I sat with a towel over my shoulders and arms. Their Grandma really thought I was out of my friggin mind. Well, the following day when she stopped by to visit, she UNDERSTOOD why I was so insistent that I stay out of the sun. She was confused at first because she left the beach just before we did...and I looked fine then. I explained that I often have a delayed reaction and that a few hours after I'm home and showered, the red comes out in full force. I can not worship the sun. It's really kind of a sad thing, because I love to be outside, especially around water...which is the kiss of death. I think the only people that enjoyed my sunburn were the girls...they loved squeezing my burnt arms. They are really lucky that I allowed them to live. Anyway, I would love to take a little trip down to the beach later this week...bring some ice tea and a barrel of 70+ sunblock and sit in the shade of the cabana while the girls run around and play in the sand. It's been hot here and its always cooler at the beach. Cross your fingers for me...I don't want to look like a lobster again.

It's SUMMER!

2011-07-11T14:06:00.002-04:00

Whew, its hot out there right now! I'd take the girls to the park but it's to hot to run around out there. It wouldn't bother Skippy a bit, but Sparky would be exhausted. Plus, she is just getting over some mysterious illness that kept her home from camp all last week. Half sinus infection, half virus...it wasn't a fun week for either of us.
It's not even a good day to paint on the sidewalk or driveway. I'm afraid we'd melt into a pile of goo that kind of matches our Crayola sidewalk paint...which I gave Sparky for her Pre-school graduation. It was a big hit. I know my Rue loved it too...she's got great taste in fun stuff.
I guess we will just have to hang out inside for a while...but that will drive us all crazy. When it cools off a bit we will venture outside and run off some of that excess energy. If I don't let them run off some of that extra steam...all my pictures of them will be goofy, full of oddball pictures. I'm just afraid their faces will stick like that one of these days. I keep warning them but they really don't care. Not now...but just wait until they can't get a date for prom. Note Sparky above and Skippy below. Need I say more?!

Ugh!

2011-07-10T00:42:00.003-04:00

I was called for Jury Duty again. This time it wasn't County it was for Federal. You know what that means? It means I had to call in everyday for two weeks in case I was called in for the next day. So every evening at 5PM, I picked up the phone, called the 800 number, listened to the recording and entered the correct numbers when prompted. For two weeks I couldn't make any plans for the week because who knew when or if I'd be called. I find this kind of thing stressful. Luckily the weekend between my two weeks was the 4th of July weekend. I'm sure they were not bulking up their case loads and that a lot of judges were taking off for long weekends. Works for me. Oh sure, if I would have had to report, I would have. I would have done my duty and basically whatever I had to do....whether I liked it or not. The girls loved it when I called in to see if I had to serve. Skippy made me put it on speaker phone so she could listen too. When I didn't have to report the next day, they'd jump around and cheer. I guess its good to know that they want to keep me around.

Whatcha reading?

2011-07-09T23:35:00.004-04:00

I read a lot. No, not just magazines and blogs. I read real books. I know, shocking, isn't it. Well, I read and I enjoy it. Sometimes I'll grab some fluff that I fly through at the speed of light. That's just a guilty pleasure. You know, its the kind of thing you are embarrassed to admit to...like watching Jersey Shore. Don't judge me! If I don't watch it, I'll never know what everyone is talking about the next day.
Anyway, I have been on a book bender. The last six books I finished..in the last month are as follows:

In paper back:
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
and Annie Barrows
On my Kindle:
Bossypants by Tina Fey
My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
Dead Reckoning: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel by Charlaine Harris

Loved all the paper back books...especially the Shaffer/Barrows book. Not what I expected and yet I didn't want it to end. It only took me two days to knock it off too. The Pettigrew book was a joy. It made me chuckle and I may have known where it was going, but not how it was going to get me there. As for the American Wife novel...it made me cry and that isn't always an easy thing to do, but it was early in the book and that was enough to grab me.

Now my Kindle reads are another story. Two of the books I read because My boss read them and we share our Kindle account, so I get them too. I was let down by the Tina Fey book. I did get a few good laughs but most of it was just so-so. Maybe I was expecting more than should have been, but that's life. The Handler book was another one that I didn't pick...but I have to admit, I was laughing out loud a LOT. It's got a little of that smutty sense of humor that I enjoy. OK, a lot of that kind of humor...to the point that I thought I might have known her. The Harris book, well, I've read all the others so I HAD to read the newest one as well. I also watch the True Blood series on TV...which is barely like the books. I can't say I loved the latest book, but I'll still read the next one. Yeah, pathetic.

My next three books are as follows:

Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster
Favorite Wife: Escape from Polygamy by Susan Ray Schmidt
A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire (book one) by George R.R. Martin

I'm enjoying the Webster book...but can't wait to get to A Game of Thrones. The current 3 are all on my Kindle, which means I will finish in no time at all. For some reason, I read much quicker on the Kindle. I'm not complaining...its just a bit of a mystery to me.

Anyone read anything outstanding lately? I'd love suggestions. I am going to be home soon and I need to stock up before I end up zooming through my book and then I am forced to pick through my Mom's book shelves. She's got a lot of books but not much of anything that I really go for. We just have different taste in stories, that's all. Although, I did like the last book of hers that I read. It was One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus I really liked it. Give it a shot!

2011-07-09T10:30:00.006-04:00

Sparky and Skippy ride again! The girls have been very serious lately. Very, very serious...about driving me out of my friggin' mind before the summer is over. They have been full of gumption lately. I guess its a good thing and any other time I'd be fine with it...but I really, REALLY need my vacation. In their defense, I always feel a little like this when I have a vacation sneaking up on me. It can't get here quickly enough. I personally think it's just me going through Rue and Phin withdrawals. Better yet, maybe its just a matter of me wanting to sit in one spot with a good book and a cold ice tea without someone one yelling, "NETTER!" at the top of their lungs...only to ask me what I'm doing. You'd think there was an emergency the way they yell my name. That seems to be their favorite question..."What are you doing?" I go in the bathroom and they ask, "What are you doing?"
...Uh, cooking dinner, what are you doing?"
"Noooo, you are not cooking dinner!"
"I'm not?
"No!!!"
"What am I doing then?"
"You are going to the bathroom but I don't know if you are pooping or if you have to pee."
"If you know what I am doing, then why did you ask me what I was doing?"
"I don't know."
"OK then! What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Why don't you go do something?"
"No, I'm just going to wait for you."

I open the door and at some point the other girlie has silently joined in waiting, sitting in front of the bathroom door. This must be an exciting thing to do. I don't get it. I'm sure if I was in there for a few hours, they'd get bored and go away. Then again...knowing those two...maybe not.

Oh, the weekends are not off limits either.

I'm curled up in my bed on a Saturday morning and they whisper through the door, "What are you doing?" while looking in the key hole.
They whisper because if they get caught bothering me, they'll get yelled at by their parents.
Most of the time I ignore them, if I can, but when you have goofballs parked outside your bedroom door, spying through the key hole, its a little hard to ignore. You hear them whispering...
"I can see her lamp."
"Let me look!" followed by rapid movement, sort of like you might hear if someone is chasing a mouse in the house with a broom.
"I can see her foot sticking out of the covers."
"She's reading a book!"
"LET ME SEE!"
"Oh yeah! I see her!"
"I know she's awake because she wouldn't be holding the book up if she were sleeping."
I lower my book and look at the key hole, half expecting their eye balls to be bulging through the hole. Then I hear a squeal of joy and laughter as the one that has their head plastered against my door, forgets herself and screams, "She's not asleep, she's looking at me!"
That is followed by a lot of pushing, shoving and a lot of yelling.
"Move! Let me see! It's my turn now!" It's about that time that you hear an adult yell at them to get away from my door and to leave me alone. Then you hear the girls running down the hall yelling, " Bye Netter!"

They are also obsessed with undergarments and body parts. All kids go through this but its dangerous around here. I can't bend over without one of them smacking me on the ass. I don't like it. I wouldn't be that thrilled if George Clooney was the one smacking me so its not like I have a double standard or anything.
The other day, they were sitting in the island in the kitchen. I'm leaning on the island with my fore arms resting on the top, just chatting with them. Then I notice that Skippy's eyes are huge and she's got some crazy person smile plastered across her face. At first I thought a stranger had offered her candy, but that couldn't be it...there were no strangers in our kitchen. Then I follow her line of sight and realize that the little pervert is looking down my shirt and is checking out what little bit of cleavage I have. I decide not to make a big deal out of it so I straighten up and move a little bit so she can't look down my shirt. She then leans over to her Sister and whispers that I have a black bra on. A fit of giggles follows. Ugh. Oh wait, it gets better. Heaven forbid I may have to go to the bathroom in public! If I do, I try to only go when they are going as well...then I have to be quick because they will rush out and try peeking in the crack in the door. I've had the "personal space" talk and the "private area" talk so many times that I probably talk about it in my sleep. It's getting old. Even when they are sick, I'm not safe. This last week, Sparky was ill. She'd been running fevers and had ear and throat pain...no strep, no ear infection but she did have a terrible sinus infection. It really hit her hard and she basically wanted to cuddle all day. So, we took Skippy to camp and Sparky and I took it easy. Well she wanted to sit on my lap and cuddle up against me while she watched a show. This didn't bother me, I had a book I could read. She kept scooting around and it was driving me nuts and it wasn't that comfy for me. Finally, I ask her what she's doing. She said she was trying to get comfy and she wanted to use my booby as a pillow. She looked up at me and smiled...the first smile of the day. I shook my head, rolled my eyes and she started to giggle. She wasn't very happy when I told her I'd get her a real pillow and not a body part.

Like I said...I need a vacation!

I'm going to get a piece of electrical tape to stick over that darn key hole. That should drive them nuts for a while.

Art from the heart...

2011-07-04T04:49:00.003-04:00

I love art...everyone knows that. I like to be creative and I especially love it when kids create refrigerator masterpieces. I love it even more when people actually SNAIL MAIL them to me. UmmmHummm (insert throat clearing sound here)...Mrs Russell didn't send me the mail she was supposed to send me. She did scan it however and posted it to her daughters website. Luckily I discovered it and copied it, pasted it...and wallah! It now graces my blog. The blog I'm actually blogging on again. Crazy, huh. Anyway, I want to send a big THANK YOU to Meredith Russell for her lovely artwork, that her Mother never sent me. In Tami's defense, she is turning 40 soon...and some of us don't handle the aging process well. First the memory starts to slip then the next thing you know, they are wearing Depends Undergarments and strolling up the street in slippers and a rob while muttering about where they put their glass of Elk Creek Water. (Only people from Nebraska will get that E.C.W reference.) Speaking of which...I'm demanding that someone mix up a huge batch of that nectar of the GODS when I'm home on my vacation. HINT, HINT...and perhaps if they do that, I'll forgive their sucky mailing skills.

Maybe I'm back...

2011-06-26T23:46:00.003-04:00

I keep telling myself its time to blog again. Some days I feel like it, others I don't. Then of course there is the time issue. I don't have the time I had during my last job. It's probably a good thing because I think half the reason I blogged was out of boredom. I'm sure some days, I'd love to be bored...but tis life.

What's new? Uh, the last few weeks have contained a lot of bad news, sad to the umth degree. Life sure is tricky sometimes...bad news always seems to sneak up on us. I love the long patches of quiet, where nobody gets in trouble or hurt...then you wake up one morning and there are funerals on the horizon. I've been praying a lot lately. Praying for my friends husband that hit a deer while riding his motorcycle...he's got a long recovery, but he will be fine. Then there is my Sister's best friend that lost one of her daughters...and 8 year old...in a senseless drowning. Breaks my heart. You never know...it only takes seconds for life to change. It doesn't always seem fair, but life isn't fair, it plays by its own rules and those rules are changing all the time, except we never get the update.

I have to call in everyday for the next two weeks because I have been given the honor of being selected for federal jury duty. Blah! I called today and I don't have to report tomorrow...but I get to keep calling back until they do call me. I know its my civic duty but it still sucks all the same. It better not conflict with my vacation or I'll be one pain in the ass juror. I can't plan anything because I have no idea when I'll be called. SUCKS!

I heard through the grapevine that Katie made me a Grandma this weekend...but she didn't call me to let me know. She adopted two kittens and I can't wait to visit my little Grandkitties....and spoil them rotten. If she'd given me some notice, I would have thrown her a Kitten Shower...how silly is that! I know but fun...oh so fun. We could supply her with catnip, litter, kitty toys, personalize water and food dishes. I was kidding but now that I think about it...hmmm, I may have to talk her into throwing a party.

I've been reading a lot lately. After trudging through Stephen Kings "Insomnia" which I really enjoyed....I read "American Wife" by Curtis Sittenfeld. It made me cry which is always a good thing but there were parts of it that I found annoying. On the whole it was a good book and the annoying parts were just personal little things that get to me, probably not anyone else. I would recommend it. I read that Tina Fey book,"Bosypants" which had a couple great laughs in it but they were few and far between for me. It was a quick read, so it has that going for it. I'm currently reading "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" by Helen Simonson. I'm not even half way though it but I am really enjoying it. I hope its going where I want it to go...time will tell.

Ugh! I have recently realized that I have a bad habit of putting in a line of dots instead and running on with my thoughts without giving any thought to proper punctuation....like I just did, right now. I have to stop doing that! I just can't. Truth be told, I enjoy it....can't get enough of it really. I'm sure it drives most people ape-shit, but I don't care...I like it damn it! Rules be damned! I'm going to rock the boat people! You heard me and there isn't a friggin' thing you can do to stop me.

Oh, and everyone will be happy to know that I finally shaved my legs the way legs are meant to be shaved. By that I mean I actually paid attention to what I was doing and don't have stray patches of hair, here and there, that only seems to annoy me only when the sunlight hits my legs at the right angle. Yeah, most of the time I could care less. It's not like its so bad that I look like an elk or a moose. I don't get dark hair sprouting from my legs...its more like fluffy down and I'm sure it serves its purpose by keeping me warm at night. I do sleep alone most of the time and don't have the occasion to steal someone elses body heat at will.

Well, I've rattled on enough for one night...its late and as a good friend has informed me often...I should NOT blog late at night. Seems I sound like a nut job or a lunatic or something when I'm lacking sleep. Well, more so when I'm lacking sleep than I do when I'm not tired. Just keeping it real.

If you want me to blog more...you best be leaving me some comments...or its not going to happen. See...more dots. LOVE THEM!

Oh yeah, Happy New Year!

2011-01-25T14:27:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking about blogging. Thinking about it doesn't get it done. I can't even give myself an "A" for effort. Blah! OK, so 2011 hasn't been so bad for me. It's been interesting to say the least. I know I mentioned this stuff on Facebook, but I've decided that it needs to be on the old blog and that Facebook is a huge waste on my time and energy...like most things that I enjoy doing. The only reason I really started spending more time on Facebook is because a lot of my favorite Blogger buddies switched over to FB and I missed them. Well, that and I was a bit pissed off about a couple of things so I didn't want to blog. Don't ask me what I was pissed about, because at this point it doesn't matter and I won't tell you. If I wanted you to know, I would have told you already.

Anyway...funny things that have happened to me so far this year:

1) Sparky's drop off days at her nursery school are Mon, Weds, and Fri. We drop off her Sister at her school and then we have about 20-25 minutes to waste before Sparky's class starts. So, on Drop off day, we go early and park in line so we can be first. Sparky likes being first. Certain days her friend Max goes to school with one of their neighbors because his parents have to be to work early. Normally Max sees us and wants to climb into the Jeep with us and wait. I usually let him because the neighbor that walks him to school has three kids of her own and she likes to ditch Max as soon as she can. I don't blame her, he can often be a handful. Anyway, Max joined us and was in the back seat with Sparky, chatting away. He was digging in his backpack to show something to Fiona. I was cleaning out my purse, minding my own business when out of nowhere, Max says, "Annette, this is a strap-on!" I really think I almost got whiplash from turning my head so fast....ouch...but, lucky for us, my mind was in the gutter. Max was referring to his stocking cap that attaches under his chin with Velcro.

2) The second thing that was interesting was when Sparky told me that I was a really good hooker. Uh, yeah, a REALLY GOOD HOOKER! She said it with gusto. She was referring to my ability to fasten the little hook on the skirt of her
American Girl doll, but none the less, its not a compliment that I thought I would ever hear directed at me.

This was fun...but its time to run to the school for pick up.

More sooner or later...

It's been months!

2010-12-04T11:33:00.003-05:00

The great thing about a blog is that you don't have to blog if you don't feel like it. It doesn't go away, it just sits there and waits for you. Thank goodness! If my blog could think for its self, it would have felt pretty abandoned over the last year. It's not that I didn't love it anymore, I've just been busy doing other things. Indeed I do love blogging. My mind has turned to it more and more lately. We all know that my mind never stops, so if something keeps returning to my brain, over and over, its bound to jumpstart my ambition. So here I am. Let the blogging begin again.

OMG...tell me I didn't just hear that! and What's the Magic word?"

2010-05-08T12:07:00.003-04:00

I'm hanging in my bedroom, relaxing reading a book, minding my own business when I hear Skippy yelling to her little sister:

"Sparky! Sparky, wipe me!" (Skippy is in the bathroom, apparently stuck on the toilet, but why she won't wipe herself is beyond me...that's a new one.)
No response from Sparky
"Sparky! Sparkyyyyy!
A quiet little annoyed voice says, after a drawn out sighhhh..."What do you want Skippy?"
Skippy yells, "Come wipe me, I said! Right now, you naughty girl!"
No response.
Sparky! Sparky!
No response but if I listen carefully I can barely make out the sound of Sparky having a conversation with her Build a Bear, who is currently in a bikini and sunglasses.
Skippy then yells, "Sparky, if you don't come wipe me right now, I won't be your friend.
Skippy then replies in the softest voice, " Skippy I don't want to wipe you. You do it. I'll still be your friend."
Which leads to an aggravated growling noise coming from the bathroom. I'm assuming she gave up and wiped herself because about 4 minutes later Skippy was outside my door trying to figure out how to get me to come out.
"Netter, come out!"
Me: "Is the house on fire?"
Skippy: No.
ME: "Sorry I can't come out.
Skippy in a whine: "Why not?"
Me: I'm busy. Where is Mommy?
Skippy: "Downstairs. Come out!"
Me: I can't I'm not dressed.
Skippy: Yes, you are.
ME: How do you know?
Skippy: I can see you through this hole under the doorknob."
ME: "Hey, get your eyeballs away from my key hole! Don't be a Peeping Sparky for goodness sake!
Skippy: Why?
ME: It's creepy.
Giggling outside the door, joined by Sparkys laughter, who then asks, "What's funny Skippy."
Skippy explains and there is more laughing followed by "Let me see!'
Sparky then says in a whisper, "I see her. I think she is reading her book." Then a louder, "Netter! Hey Netter! Can you open the door please?"
Me: No, I can not open the door.
Sparky: "Why not, Netter? Do you have a boo-boo?
I try to ignore them so they will get bored and go away.
Skippy: "No Sparky, she doesn't have a boo-boo."
Sparky: "How do you know?"
Skippy: "I just know, she doesn't."
Sparky: "But maybe she does. NETTER, Hey NETTER, does your new boo-boo hurt?"
Skippy: "I said she doesn't have a boo-boo, you naughty girl! You never listen."
ME: "Skippy, stop calling your sister a naughty girl all the time."
Sparky: "Yeah!"
Skippy: "Naughty girl!"
ME and Skippy: "HEY!"
Skippy erupts in evil laughter.
Skippy: "Let us in."
ME: "Only if you say the magic word first.
Skippy: "Please?"
ME: "wrong word."
Skippy: May?
Me: nope
Sparky: "Abracadabra?"
ME: wrong magic word. (Little do they know, whatever word they come up with will not be the magic word.)
At this point, their Mom gets off the phone and finds them leaning against my door. She chases them away and gives them the "Leave Annette alone," speech..."its her day to do whatever she wants to do in peace."

Right now, I can hear them in their bedroom brainstorming magic words.

I think I'm falling into a cupcake coma...

2010-05-08T10:48:00.003-04:00

Oh hell, who am I kidding...I'm just making excuses so I don't have fix all the useless crap on my site that needs to be fixed. I need to fix my 40th birthday ticker on my side bar, because its counting up to my 40th b-day again, when it sould be counting down to my 41st. I need to add all the books I've read so far this year and the movies I've watched but pfffftttt.....I don't wanna. I'm just being a lazy post birthday girl. At least I'm taking the time to post something. That's a plus, huh. Don't get used to it.

I've been thinking about how I'm going to celebrate my 40th with the gals from High School in August. We are going to get a room at a hotel and regress a bit...no husbands, no kids, just us girls. I was trying to think of retarded things that we could do for fun. I figure we could bar hop and pretend we are a traveling bachelorette party...but that was quickly nixed because I realized they would make me be the bride. Although, technically The Foe could be the bride because she's not married anymore. Hmmm...I'm going to talk with Tami about this.

Oh, while I'm thinking of it, I can't figure out why people make such a big deal out of turning 40. Sure I'm a day closer to my grave, sure the gray hair will start popping out, sure I'll soon have more age spots than freckles...but so what. Fact of the matter is, I feel young, even when my joints are cracking. I'm always going to be that old lady that gets out the water balloons and nails the neighbor kids or talks them into pranking one of the other neighbors. I can't help myself...its genetic.

OK, I have to go avoid doing something useful and productive. Later!

Im lucky to be alive!

2010-05-07T11:42:00.002-04:00

The 4 year old put me in a headlock last night when I was putting her to bed. She kept chanting, "BIG HUG, BIG HUG." then would kiss the side of my head 5 or 6 times before chanting "BIG HUG, BIG HUG!" again. It was a vicious cycle.This went on for a while. When I got out of her death grip, she giggled and I asked, "What was that about?!" She giggled more and said, It's your Birthday in the morning Netter! You need to sleep next to me so I can wake up and tell you Happy Birthday!"
You have to love Sparky...even when she cutting off your blood supply, she's doing it out of love.

This morning she came downstairs, put her hands on her hips and in an annoyed tone said, "Netter, why are you up? I have to make a cake for you." Yeah, like she could use the stove on her own, or that she had enough time before school started in the first place. I reminded her of that and she smiled and said, "Oh yeah!"...like the thought had completely slipped her mind.

She's a goofball!

She spent the whole walk to school trying to sucker me into holding her backpack for her. I told her its my birthday and I don't have to do anything I don't want to do on my birthday. She said, if you carry it today, I'll carry it on Monday, which we all know is a fib the size of China. She'll just say she doesn't remember on Monday. We have been down that road before. Sparky knew she was screwed when Spanky agreed with me that I shouldn't have to carry her backpack on my birthday.

As we neared the school, Skippy saw that her class was already lining up so she started to speed walk to the line. I yelled to her and said "Have a great day, I'll see you later!" She turned and nodded her head. Then Sparky shouted at the top of her lungs..."HEY (insert name) don't forget to tell your teachers and the kids in your class that today is Netter's birthday and that she's 40!" Sparky turns around again,with a HUGE smile and shakes her head like one of those bobble head dolls. Adults as far as 1/2 a block away are amused by this.

I then walk Sparky the rest of the way to her nursery school. In the hall, she tells Max and his Dad that its my Birthday...stressing my age. Once the door to her room opens, we stroll in and her two teachers, Miss Donna and Miss Allison immediately tell me Happy Birthday before Sparky can even open her mouth. Her teachers inform me that Sparky has been talking about my birthday all week. She'd been very excited about it.

It's been kind of fun having a build in announcement system...but if I wanted her to tell everyone my business, she'd clam right up.

The day is almost here...

2010-05-06T23:18:00.003-04:00

I've only got another 38 minutes or so until I hit the big 4-OH. I
t snuck up on me, super fast too. I'll let you know how my day fairs.

I didn't expect to hear that in my lifetime!

2010-04-12T11:59:00.004-04:00

OK, so I have not talked about my girls much. I should be, because when they are not driving me insane, they are funny, funny, funny. I'll post some pictures later but for now, I'll just give you the stats. Sparky-the live wire...that's what I'm calling her in my blog...turned 4 in December. Her sister, let's call her Skippy-because she never stops moving, will be 6 in June.

OK, on Sat their parents had an engagement party to go to. They had to leave at 4 and they were kind of strapped for a sitter because something came up and everyone else was busy. I wasn't doing much so I agreed to help them out. The girls and I decided to have a "date night," meaning we were going to go out to eat and do something fun. Let's face it, it was technically my day off and we eat at home every weekday, so we needed to stir it up a little.

It was agreed that we would eat at Friendly's because the girls think they have good chicken fingers and they also like to have ice cream after dinner. The price is right as well. We had also decided to go to the Baldwin Harbor Park to play if everyone behaved while we were eating. Now, I asked the girls to go to the bathroom before we left the house...nobody had to go. Skippy said she just went a few minutes prior. Sparky said she really didn't have to but I sent her in the bathroom to pretend she was trying to go. We get to the restaurant and the girls were behaving really well, except there was a little argument about who was going to sit next to me. They both like to sit next to me, not across from me. I'm not taking it personally and assuming they just can't stand looking at me while they eat. Nope, I think its just because they like to lean on me periodically and it's easier to get away with things if I don't have direct eye contact. For example, its much easier for Sparky to pick her nose and sneak a quick nibble when I have to catch her doing it with my peripheral vision. Believe me, that kid must be lacking some vital mineral in her system because she's ALWAYS digging for gold in those nostrils. But hey, at least she's not flicking those bad boys in my direction. I just don't want to see her eating them.
Anyway, we managed to get though our main meal and order dessert before BOTH girls announce they need to go to the bathroom. Off they go..and when we get back, our ice cream is waiting for us. They stuffed their gullets with frozen delight and we are off to the park. I asked them if they needed to hit the bathroom again. No, Not at all, they chirp. I asked again of they were sure and they started to get irritated with me.

Now, it takes a little bit to get to the park. It's not like its down the street from us. It's in the next town over and if we were leaving from home, it would take about 15 minutes to get there if we didn't get stuck at a ton of lights. Luckily, we were closer than that, so it only took a 5 minutes or so to get down there. We pull up to the park and they bounce out of the jeep, skipping to the playground, happy as larks. Skippy is on the play equipment before you can blink an eye. Sparky is rubbing her tummy, leaning against me. I ask her if she's OK. Her tummy hurts. I ask her where, she rubs her belly. I reach over and rub it too. She looks like she's about ready to pop...she'd stuffed herself with 5 huge chicken fingers, all of her french fries and enough ketchup to gag a goat. Plus she drank all of her milk, half of my water and she ate her whole "fruit salad." Sparky calls her chocolate ice cream with
M&M's on top "fruit salad". Don't ask me why, but I'm pretty sure its because her Mommy would be more excited to hear she ate a "fruit salad" for dessert, rather than a bunch of ice cream and candy. That Sparky is a sneaky one! Anyway, Sparky was very happy with me rubbing her tummy while she moaned. I ask her if she needs to go to the bathroom. Nope she says, she's empty. After a little bit, she's feeling better and wants to go play with Skippy. Sparky runs over to the playground equipment, Climbs the ladder and heads toward one of the slides. She goes down the slide, then starts yelling something to me, at the top of her lungs...and believe me Sparky is a LOUD kid. I wasn't sure I heard her right the first time. But when I saw her running on her tip toes while somehow managing to walk like a bow legged cowboy, I had a pretty good idea what she said, but the truth was funnier, not at the time, but later it was. Sparky was yelling, "Netter, Netter, the slide made me poop my pants!" Have you ever heard a kid yell something like that? A SLIDE made her poop. Oh and it gets better. The park bathrooms were closed. Yeah..but wait, it gets even better. While Sparky was strolling over to my side of the ranch, her big Sister, came running around the opposite side of the playground equipment shouting, "I think I pooped too!" As I turned to look at her, thinking she was joking, she is in the process of yanking her pants down in broad daylight while I quickly told her to pull them back up, that we were in public and we don't pull our pants down on the playground. Holy!

So, since the bathrooms were closed and we didn't have a change of clothes in the jeep, I informed the girls that it was time to head home after a whole 4 or 5 minutes at the park, tops! You'd have thought I was killing them. The drama! Now, Skippy had just a little racing stripe in her undies, not even enough to call it a Hershey squirt. Sparky on the other hand...from the way she was walking, it was obvious that she was packing an entire bag of Hershey squirts, perhaps enough to fill an Easter Basket or a Christmas stocking. We had no choice but to drive the 15 minutes back home. The girls wanted to go home, clean up and then drive back to the park. I informed them that there was no way that was going to happen because it was getting late and we were only staying at the park for 30 minutes in the first place. I said we'd go back and play one day after school. That wasn't going over very well though. I managed to get them in the Jeep and I tossed a jacket down for Sparky to sit on, while she was strapped into her booster seat. She kept asking why the slide did that to her. I told her it wasn't the slides fault that she pooped her pants, that she just had a little upset tummy and that was the reason. She wasn't buying it though. When I couldn't stand the smell in the Jeep a second longer I started to crack the windows, which set off another drama fest. Sparky stunk and she knew it, so she didn't want the windows down. I asked her why, because a little fresh air in the Jeep would get rid of the odor. She said she didn't want people in the cars next to us to smell her poop. It was OK for poor Netter and Skippy to smell it, but nobody else. I get it, she was embarrassed And she knew Skippy and I didn't judge her for it. After all, its not something she's done since she was a little, little girl. Boy, she was really mad at that slide for "making" her poop her pants, oh was she mad.

When we got home we took care of the immediate problem and I announced that they were going to take quick baths as well, but first, I wanted Sparky and Skippy to both try to go to the bathroom again. Sparky fought me on it. I told her she had to at least sit there while the tub was filling up with water. If she still hadn't gone when the tub was full, she could get up. She sat there and sat there and just as I was getting ready to turn off the water, poor Sparky erupted. It was juicy sounding and instantly foul smelling, so of course, Skippy then had to see what had just happened underneath Sparky. She was trying to push Sparky forward so she could shine a little light on the subject and get a better look in the toilet. Sparky was annoyed and just wants me to help her wipe and Skippy is yelling, Ewww, Ewww, its all liquidity. Why is it so liquidity." I shoo Skippy away and chase her into the tub. Sparky then wants to know why her first poop wasn't liquidity but her second poop was. It's at moments like these that I think, "Gosh, maybe I'm not paid enough!" I explain to her that she must have a bit of a tummy bug or that she just ate something that didn't agree with her. She could care less, because she was feeling pretty good by the time she climbed into the tub.
Fast forward to later in the week. I took the girls back to the park. They jumped out of the Jeep, bouncing to the playground, happy as larks. The first thing Sparky did was go down the same slide that ruined all her fun the last time. She slide down and when she go to the end, she yelled at the top her of lungs, for all the park to hear..."Yippee Netter, the slide didn't make me poop my pants this time!" To which I replied, "What! Are you kidding me?" Skippy, being the super serious girl that she is, runs over to Sparky, grabs her pants, stretches out the waste band and announces that Sparky wasn't joking, that there really wasn't any poop in her sister's pants. So far we have all lived happily ever after.

I didn't expect to hear that in my lifetime!

2010-04-12T11:59:00.000-04:00

Sweet Dreams

2010-03-24T23:21:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while I have a dream that makes me sorry I ever woke from it. Usually its a very vivid dream, often messing with my senses. I had one of those dreams last night. I don't know what part of my brain was affected but it hit a sweet spot and mingled with my sense of reality. How? Well, for starters, I could feel the cool grass on my bare feet and I could smell freshly cut grass. I just knew I was going to be covered in chigger bites in the morning. In the dream I was a kid again, maybe 5 years old, full of more energy than I ever remember having. My little Sister was running around in the grass with me, giggling. I'd almost forgotten what her little voice sounded like when we were little. We were at My Grandma Martha and Grandpa Virgil's house in Pawnee City. They were sitting in lawn chairs like they often did in the evenings. My Mom and Dad were there as well as several of my Grandparents old card party buddies. The old timers are all gone now...but they were as I remember them from my childhood. Grandpa was plump...sitting in his bibby overalls telling a dirty joke. Everyone was laughing. People would drive by and wave, some would stop and visit. It was just so vivid. I could see ants crawling on the peony bushes, I could feel the warm breeze, and I felt content...safe and happy. I don't know what made me wake from that dream, but my euphoria didn't last as long as I would have liked it to. It wasn't real, not really... a dream a little teaser of what I'll never experience again. I just snuggled deeper into my bedding and tried to go back to sleep as soon as possible, in the hopes that my dream would continue where it left off. It didn't, at least not that I remember.
So tonight, I'm going to bed with the highest hopes that I'll drift into that strange blend of dream and memories again. What I wouldn't pay to be able to feel myself spinning in circles in that yard, getting so dizzy that I fall to the ground or to crawl up on Grandpa's lap again and have Grandma bring me ice cold kool aid in one of those bright jewel tone aluminum glasses she used to have...just one more time. That would be a lovely 40th birthday gift indeed.

St. Patrick's Day...premoting two things:

2010-03-17T09:23:00.002-04:00

Yes indeed, today is the one day of the year that it's OK to drink beer colored green. I hope you have your green on today. RVC is a very Irish town so you can see green everywhere today. I myself went on the down low, by not having visible green on. I do have green underwear on so the first person that tries to pinch me is going to get a pinch right back. Sneaky, huh. I think I'm going to make green cupcakes for the girls, who were decked out from head to toe in green this morning...with gold shoes.

Rue and Phin

2010-01-10T00:35:00.002-05:00

I have been harassed endlessly because I have not posted pics of Rue and Phin lately. It helps if people send pics to me, instead of me flying home to take them for myself. Yeah annoying! Anyway, here they are..Rue at age 3 and Phin at 6 months, dirty faces and all. They are kids after all!

If that doesn't make you feel like a dork, I don't know what will!

2010-01-07T23:28:00.002-05:00

Yes, I actually made it to the driveway before I realized I had on two different colored shoes. Let me explain. I have two pairs of shoes, both the same make, but in different colors...tan and black. I'd been wearing the tan shoes for weeks, so they were in the basket on the sun porch. I'd been heading out when I realized I had a black hoodie/kangaroo pouch sweatshirt on, so I decided to dig out my black shoes. I went up stairs with the tan shoes in tow and as I was taking the black shoes out of the closet, the phone rang. I put my shoes on while I was talking to one of the mothers in Anna's class about setting up a play date. I hung up the phone, walked downstairs, and headed out the door. Now, I tend to look everywhere but at the ground, so what made me look is a mystery to me...but thank goodness I did. Because that kind of sticks out like a sore thumb, don't you think. I changed right out of the tan shoe, so I actually matched when I picked Fiona up from Nursery School.

Chunk-a-lunka

2009-11-18T19:03:00.004-05:00

For those of you who have been waiting, I'm pleased to reintroduce the once speckled baby, Phineaus! I can tell from his silly grin that Phinny is going to be a card. He has the cutest little gopher cheeks, doesn't he. He kind of reminds me of that gopher from the movie Caddyshack. I can just picture him doing the dance to that song, "I'm all right, nobody worry bout me..." You know the song and I'm sure you are picturing that gopher right now. Tisha might kill me for mentioning it, but its true, that's what he reminds me of. This picture was taken several months ago and he's grown quite a bit since then. He's actually more muscle than chunk and he weighs 18 pounds already. You'll have to wait until Christmas for new pics though, so please, no pestering me for more.

Guess what I'm doing right now!

2009-11-08T10:16:00.002-05:00

I'm eating oatmeal and returning emails. Yeah, so if you were one of those people that sent me an email, perhaps I'll get around to responding. (Just don't get your hopes up, because I'm already feeling jittery and I'm thinking about bolting from the house, in search of something fun to do.

Oh and this DOES count as a blog post, so now everyone can stop complaining. TA DA!

I had a nice day yesterday. I was at Rain and Chris' new place, helping them move boxes around. I carried many boxes up many stairs and I think I worked off all of those Halloween candy bars that I scarfed down last week. It was so nice to be able to help them out a little. Everyone knows how much of a pain in the butt moving is, especially if you don't have a little help. Rain felt kind of bad because she couldn't lift much because she's preggers. Yes, she's having a baby in early March! I'm very excited about that and dropped hints that I'm open for weekend babysitting.

Oh and by the way, Raine and Chris' cats are HUGE...the big old black fatty crawled under the new sofa and couldn't get out. Raine discovered that you have to lay him on his side and then slide him out. I feel his pain...that is why I never crawl under beds anymore, for fear that I'll get caught and have to scream for help.

See you around!

My blog broke 35,000 while I was away?! What the!

2009-11-06T23:08:00.003-05:00

You turn your back on your blog for a few months and BAM, people start checking in to see if you've finally joined the living again. Yes, I'm still alive. Yes, I've been busy...too busy to blog or update on facebook or do any cool crafting projects. I've just been busy, that's all. Well, that's not entirely true. I have been fighting off all the germs floating around the region, and deciding to make my body home for a little while. I've had some major colds but except for a stuffy nose, I'm feeling pretty good these days. Perhaps if I can stay away at night, long enough to check my email and jot a few lines down on the old Blogger, I'll actually manage to blog once or twice a month. What? You really want me to post every day? I'm trying not to laugh, really I am...I just can't help myself. I'm not going to promise anything, but I will make an effort to show dyslexic ass every so often. If for no other reason than to stop all the "Where the hell are you?" emails and the "Are you dead or something?" emails. To answer those questions for you...I'm here, where else would I be and no, I'm not dead, not even a little bit. It's not so easy to get rid of me, you should all know that by now. It's only typical that when you want me to be around, I'm not and when you want me to shut my pie whole, I won't. Maybe typical is a poor word for that sentence...how about logical. Yeah, that works for me.

I'm out of blogging practice. Luckily for me, I'm not one of those bloggers that sits and ponders what I should write about. I don't plan or go over details and check for mistakes...I just type and what you see is what you get. I'm a grammatical nightmare half the time, its true, but that's the story of my life. Like I always say, If it bothers you, stop reading my tirades and blabbering lunacy. For crying out loud, don't you have something else to criticise? It's not like I get paid to do this, you know. I blog as an outlet, a way to relax and its a form of tortured entertainment on my part.

Luckily, I have several ideas for upcoming posts. Shocker! Maybe I'll post some pictures soon as well. I've uncovered my camera cord. It tried to hide, but I've always been good at hide and seek. Just ask the girls...we played for 1 1/2 hours the other night. Believe me, there are only so many place an adult can squeeze their ass into to hide. The girls declared me an expert at hiding. Of course I don't giggle when someone is close to me, so that helps. Oh yeah, why can a 5 year old that won't go upstairs by herself in broad daylight because she is scared, suddenly have no problem hiding in the basement with all the lights off when its dark outside? That's the current million dollar question, that really is only worth a nickle, so don't think you are getting a check for a million if you answer that correctly. If you answer it to my liking, I might send you a bright shiny nickle that I found on the sidewalk. Don't get to excited, it was probably left there by some gross teenager that thought it would be funny to stick it in his underwear before dropping it on the ground for someone to pick up. Ewww, yeah, that's why I always hesitate before picking up change on the ground. I don't care how lucky that penny looks. Gag.

OK, so much for intelligent blogging. Thank goodness I don't have to worry about being quoted and ending up with a bazillion links to my site. I don't think my site meter could handle the pressure. I'm off to bed. Hopefully a night of sleepless walking will recharge my battery and get those creative juices flowing again. Well, that and my good friend Raine always tells me not to blog late at night because I sound insane...well, more insane than usual.

Until the next time, tootle loo!

Has anyone seen my cord?

2009-09-04T23:49:00.002-04:00

I've misplaced my cord for my camera. The laptop I'm using doesn't have a slot for my SD card and I can't transfer my pics until I find my cord. I have a feeling its still at the other house. I need to run over there and dig around a little. Until then, I can't show you where I've moved to or what I've been up to. Yeah, well I don't want to put you to sleep or anything. It's just that I'm a visual person. A blog post just doesn't seem complete without a picture attached. I don't need pictures when I read other peoples blogs though, so I don't know what my hang up is. I WILL find that cord. Then I'll share a lot with you....until then, you'll just have to keep your pantyhose on.

Oh get this, I'm heading back to Nebraska in a couple of weeks. I'm going to a wedding and NO, its not mine. I just know that they will all be so glad to see me again....like a month and a half this summer wasn't enough. Actually, I really didn't see that many people. It's a short list really. I basically hung out with my Sister, Mom, the Rue and Phin. I saw Shannon and Aaryn a few times too. Oh get this, Rue told me I was naughty and put me in timeout...though I'm not really sure what I did. It wasn't the first time I've been in time out and had no clue what I did that was so bad. Old habits die hard....lol. I spent a lot of time trying to burp Phin, who fought it. He was a little turd, to say the least. Phin was over 14 lbs on his 2 month check-up. I don't know what my Sister is feeding him! The Rue calls Phin her baby brudder. It's so cute. She can actually say Phineaus, which is more than my Father can do. We'll that's not entirely true, he can say his name when he remembers what he was named. Dad prefers to call little Phin, P.W. I have a funny feeling it might stick. It's just a little to close to G.W., as in G.W.Bush....ewww.

I'm enjoying my new job. The girls are a lot of fun. My only issue is that the kids are early risers. I'll be in the bathroom at 6:30 and I will hear them. What the hell! I guess they just have a natural clock in their little heads. I don't mind them being up as long as they aren't grumpy and most of the time they are perky and ready to get the day started. We spend a lot of time at the park, especially now that they weather has cooled off a little. Hopefully it will stay that way, but I'm bracing myself for an Indian Summer.

Well, its been a long day. I'll be heading off to bed now. I'll find that cord so I can show you some of the stuff that I've been up to. Oh and by the way, Sam is at Harvard now and from what I hear, he's having a blast.

Hello again!

2009-08-27T21:50:00.003-04:00

After a long and exhausting summer I've returned to blogging. Have you missed me? I've got a lot to share but I've got to get some sleep. The new kids I'm taking care of are early risers. I kid you not. I was in the shower before 6:30 this morning and when I stepped out to towel off, I heard their chitter chatter through the wall. Oh yeah, its a good thing that I'm a jolly person in the morning...atleast after I've had a quick shower. Our days are filled with three hour jaunts to the park and random arts and crafts. I'm lucky that I have any hair left on my head after the girls get done brushing my hair into a giant fuzzball. The Humidity doesn't help either. I'll fill you in on all the details about the new job and the new house, ect...but let me tell you, I knew they were nice people when I first chatted with them and I'm 150% sure now that I've been with them for a week and a half. Things are good.

More to come, details of my summer and updates on the Rue and Phin...

You are excited now, I know it!

Deep breaths

2009-05-23T15:26:00.002-04:00

I'm letting it go. I took several deep breaths and decided its not worth making an issue out of it. The next time it happens though, I'm blowing that boat out of the water. If you are lost and have no idea what I'm talking about, consider that a good thing.

Well, crapola!

2009-05-20T15:48:00.004-04:00

I can't get my Sister to let me name her new baby. You'd think she'd do me a huge favor by letting me pick the name. I mean, seriously, she already named Rue. It's not like I'm going to have a kid of my own...so wouldn't it be nice if she just gave up and let me do it for her! I'd even let her have veto power to an extent. I mean its not like I'm going to pick a nerdy name...well, I do like the boys name Fletcher, so maybe I would. I won't pick one of the names in the top 20 for 30 years or so. I'm a little more creative than that.
Honestly this is a great deal that I'm offering her. When the baby grows up and complains about its name, which I'm sure it will...most kids hate their name, she can pass the buck to me. She can say, "Well, don't complain to me about it, I didn't name you. You need to take it up with your Crazy Aunt Nett, because she named you." Oh who am I kidding, she'll probably do that even if I didn't name the kid. Sigh....how depressing. Maybe I can sucker a friend into giving me naming rights. I could spread the idea around... Auntie Nett will promise to spoil your child rotten if you allow her to name it. Most of my friends have had their kids already and don't want anymore...but there is always Raine. Oh Raine....a hem....think it over. You know how I spoil my Rue! Don't even suggest I get a pet and name it! It's not the same and you know it!

Well, I better go work on my list of suggestions for my Sister. She'll turn them all down, but that's OK...its just fun getting her all worked up about it.

Don't get excited...I'm not back yet.

2009-05-08T15:03:00.003-04:00

I guess you have all figured out that I have not been in the blogging mood. Yeah, well, I'm still not, so doing get excited or anything. I didn't even remind everyone of my birthday...I know, shocker.

Eventually I'll get back with the program. It maynot be this week or next week but sooner or later I'll feel inspired and won't feel like I have other things that I need to do instead.

I just need some inspiration.

2009-04-21T18:58:00.002-04:00

Your rainbow is shaded white.

What is says about you: You are a contemplative person. You appreciate quiet moments. People depend on you to make them feel secure.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

I suffered a tramatic event

2009-04-08T07:23:00.004-04:00

It's true and I may never be the same.

I shutter at the thought of what happened.

Yep, a chill just ran up my spine. Not a good chill.

There are some things you are never meant to see.

There are things that you never dream of thinking of and thus never prepare yourself for.

I should have had a heads up, a warning...better yet, I shouldn't have had to deal with it at all.

All I have to say is that its a good thing I couldn't get the pictures from that SD card to download onto the home computer and had to put them on the laptop instead. On the home computer you have to check each and every picture you want to save...on the laptop, the picture just quickly flashes on the screen and is saved automatically.

I wasn't paying much attention really, but there was a sudden flash of something that drew my attention toward the screen...OMG, I shouldn't have looked up, but I did...and I saw way to much skin. I didn't see any "junk" if you know what I mean, but then again, I was to busy squeezing my eyes closed and screaming "MY EYES, MY EYES!"

I wonder if Workers Comp covers this kind of thing.

It totally should.

Excuse me while I go pray now...or heavily medicate myself, perhaps both at the same time. I'm kidding about the self medicating, I don't do that, but the idea of it sounds good right now.

My Cousin had her baby!

2009-04-06T19:49:00.002-04:00

Aaryn Scott Kaster was born today at 4:17 PM. He is 7 lbs 2 oz. Aaryn and his Mommy Shannon are doing well. Pictures to follow...as soon as my Mom visits them tomorrow and takes a few and actually downloads them and sends them my way! I'll share them when they arrive!

I forgot...but guess who just remembered!

2009-04-01T18:03:00.002-04:00

I never posted my X-mas ornaments for the Annual Christmas Ornie Exchange. Yep, 2008 snuck right past me and I never showed you what my primary ornament was this year. Its from a needle punch kit that I came across on sale at the craft store. I thought, "HEY- there is something I've never tried!" Yep and that's what the gals got and a few other people. I think I'm going to try to make a punch art design with Rue's name in it and have it framed for her bedroom. Then of course, I'll have to do the same with the new baby's room Let's just hope that my Sister keeps her name choice in check and picks a name with minimal letters. Which means, don't tell her I'm doing this or it will be a long name. Which reminds me...I need to go research names that have a flower or herb connection like Rue's did. I'm not happy with my Sister's choice in names this time around.

College admissions and April Fools Day

2009-04-01T12:48:00.002-04:00

OK, no joking about this...but Sam got into some great schools. Yale turned him down but that's OK, because he got into Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, NorthWestern,Duke, NYU, and I think Columbia. He was wait listed at Brown and Penn. All in all, a good selection to choose from. He hasn't decided yet, but I have a funny feeling that he will go to Harvard. He's a legacy there and it seemed like his face lit up the most when he opened that email. Time will tell though.

As for April Fools Day. I don't have a lot of fun stuff planned. I have a headache so I don't want to go to all the effort to get something set up. Oh, OK, I lined Sam's bed, under the sheets and pillow case with tin foil and waxed paper. Hehe...so he's going to think that he managed to go the whole day without me getting him and then he's going to have the loudest bed in town.

Oh yeah, to day is my Cousin Shannon's due date. I spoke to her, no movement on the baby front. It looks like we won't have a April Fools Baby afterall....though there is still time left, but considering he hasn't dropped yet, its unlikely. The Doctor is going to give her a little time, since everything is going so well and if there is not action later...he'll induce. I can't wait! She's going to have natural childbirth...lol, oh, the filthy words that will be flying around the room that day! I wonder if we can get her Mom to make a voice recording. That could be fun to listen to.

Is it just me...

2009-03-31T09:10:00.003-04:00

I walked into the kitchen this morning and the morning sun was shining in. It felt so warm and inviting. Then I glanced outside, into the backyard. I stood there shocked. I don't know if it was all the bright light or what, but the yard looked much greener than it did the prior day. We are talking Ireland green...bright Emerald City green. It was just lovely. I guess Spring has sprung. I did see a couple dozen robins the other day...or maybe it was just the same one, over and over again.

Just one of those weekends.

2009-03-30T18:04:00.006-04:00

You know how days start out and end up leading in a direction you didn't see coming. Yeah, that was my Sat. I was going to go for a walk at the Planting Fields and read a book...but stopped by the Leach house to grab the books for my cousins and ended up helping Jean take their brass bed apart and putting together another bed frame, taking the new one apart again because it was defective. We returned it then swapped it out for another one, took it home and put it together. Jean then sent me downstairs to watch TV while she finished the little bit of painting she had left. Her room looks lovely so far. I can't wait to see it completely put together. Anyway Jim came home, we ate supper and watch some TV and then I headed home.

Sunday was a little different. Please note: I didn't even have to bribe her to stand in front of that scribble scrable. I just thought it was funny and anyway, everyone who knows Raine, knows that she is FAR from stupid. I guess that's why it seem funny to me.
I spent the day with Raine. ( The second time in two weeks...!!I love it when that happens!! We went to brunch at Craftbar. If you watch Top Chef, you'll know all about Chef Tom Colicchio and his restaurants. Well, I wouldn't say I had a great meal. It was a bit of a let down actual. I ordered off the brunch menu and got the House Cured Salmon with Country Bread and Crème Frâiche. Though the bread was good, it was really burnt on the top and side. I'm not sure why I didn't say something and have it sent back but I'm always afraid that they'll spit on or drop my replacement. The salmon was good after the second or third bite. The first one grossed me out because it tasted very fishy, but it was fine after that. They were out of cinnamon rolls as well but that's OK, we made up for it with a great treat later.We went to the Brooklyn Flea market. Another disappointment. I guess I'm just used to the Chelsea flea Markets...but then again, perhaps its better during the warmer months when the can hold it outside. Who knows. Oh and our special sweet treat of the day? We went to the Brooklyn Jacques Torres Chocolate shop and had a Hot Chocolate to go with a yummy Chocolate Chip Cookie. I'd say the highlights of the day were spending time with Raine and that eating that cookie.
So Raine and I strolled around Brooklyn a little bit and took in the sights from the riverside. It was a misty,foggy day so it made Manhattan look much smaller than normal. That really isn't something that is easy to do, since Manhattan always seems to have a bigger than life feel.
The Statue of Liberty looked so far away but even though the fog, you could see Miss Liberty, standing as she has for many years, welcoming ships.
The South Street Seaport looked just as busy as always. This was a different view for me. I'm usually at the Seaport looking across toward Brooklyn. I've watched several firework displays above the river from the top deck of Pier 17.
Ah yes, it was a good day indeed. I went somewhere I'd never been and spent some time with a good friend. Does life get any better than that? I don't think so.

Felt food time...again

2009-03-24T12:30:00.001-04:00

Well, I've been busy cutting out felt and either sewing it together or using special felt glue. I've tried to avoid the glue but it does come in handy for chocolate chips and for the little bits of red and green in the pickle loaf luncheon meat. I'm shipping this batch off as soon as I add a few details with my sewing machine....but first I need to get my rear in gear and quilt those baby doll quilts. So here's what I've been doing...its a little sampling: Breakfast anyone? The waffles are in the process of being made.

Taco anyone? These were just simply cut out. I didn't even bother sewing anything on them...I just glued little beans on the re fried bean blobs.
Luncheon platter...with three types of cheese slices, turkey, bologna, and pickle loaf along with some lettuce and a few pickle slices if you are in the mood. I'm working on several different ideas for the bread slices. I'm not sure which style I like better.

Cut salad, anyone? there are even cherry 'maters in there. She can dump out the contents and arrange them the way she'd like them.

How about some cookies and a little hot tea to go along with them. Yeah, I even made little tea bags and I stuffed them with the tiny scraps of brown I had, so it looks like there are tea leaves inside them.

Last but not least, you can have your choice of three different types of pasta. With or with out sauce and with meatballs on the side.

OK, OK

2009-03-23T17:42:00.002-04:00

Several people have emailed me asking when I'm going to post pictures of some more of the crafty stuff I'm working on. Well, its nothing to exciting. I'm making more felt food for the Rue. I'm done with most of the pasta and have moved on to sandwich toppings. Before I change the foot on my sewing machine, I need to finish quilting those dolly blankets. I finally got my machine to work....I suggested it would find its new home in a landfill if it didn't cooperate. On top of that, I've gotten myself into this 5 handmade things for 5 people deal and of course, somehow...like I don't know how...I've turned it into a 10 for 10 deal. I have all year though, so that's good. I've got several ideas and of course one person is going to be easy to knock off the list...he likes food. lol, don't we all. So, to answer every one's questions...YES, I will be taking pictures of stuff sooner or later. Relax, sheesh!

Just thinking about them makes me hungry....AGAIN!

2009-03-23T16:55:00.003-04:00

Anyone like Sugared Puffs...you know, Popovers! Oh, they are good. I didn't take a picture because they were scarfed down to fast...but you should give them a try.

Sugared Puffs

For the Puffs:
Softened unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Cup whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 Cup flour

For the sugar coating:
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Liberally grease a nonstick popover pan or an muffin pan with 1/2-cup indentations, with softened butter.
2) For the puffs, put the 2 Tablespoons melted butter, eggs, milk, salt, and sugar int a blender and whiz(hehe) for a few seconds. *(excuse that giggle...it was my inner child coming out. As a kid, if someone said, Whiz...it meant to pee. I regressed for a minute there.)
3) Add the flour and whiz(hehe) for 5 to 8 seconds, just until smooth. * I'm sorry...I'll try to stop)
4)Divide the batter among 9 greased molds, filling each 1/2 to 2/3 full.
5) Bake for 35 minutes, until the puffs are deep brown.
6) Remove from the oven, wait a few minutes until cool enough to handle, then remove the puff from the pans. You many need a small knife to help pry them out.
7)Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Thoroughly brush each puff all over with melted butter, then dredge in sugar and cinnamon mixture to coat completely. Let cool on a baking rack.

Makes 9 Puffs.

Make sure you have lots of people around or you'll want to eat them all yourself. Trust me...you don't want to do that. I'm not going to let you blame me when you won't fit into any of your clothes. Yeah, that means you MUST share.

Rue's bug adventure last year...lol, cracks me up.

2009-03-20T16:21:00.003-04:00

This was taken by my cousins, in the church basement at Shannons Baby Shower last year. I heard about it but I didn't see this happening. I was off doing, who knows what.

Welcome Back, Old Friend!

2009-03-20T07:18:00.002-04:00

What took you so long, Spring! I've missed you.

Five handmade things!

2009-03-18T18:07:00.002-04:00

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me!!

This offer does have some strings so please read carefully:

* I make no guarantees that you will like what I make

* What I create will be just for you

* It'll be done this year (2009)

* You have no clue what it's going to be

I may make something crafty or artsy, a pot holder, a framed photo, a magnet, a poem, book, a short video, a playdoh sculpture, a cookie, a vest knitted from cat hair or something entirely different....basically whatever strikes my fancy.

Here's the fine print:

In return, all you need to do is post this text into a note of your own and make 5 things for 5 others. What could be more fun!!!! (change the above to stuff you do) Some ideas you could do for others: (mix CD's, collage, journal, painting, bake cookies, etc...)

Is it button time yet?

2009-03-11T23:42:00.004-04:00

I've been going through my craft supplies. I've decided to use up as much stuff as I can. I had a big box full of buttons and felt like I should do something with them. I thought about making bracelets or necklaces with them but then that seemed to boring. I needed something a little more creative. So I sorted the buttons into color groups and started making designs. It started with a simple shamrock and then a heart, moving on to a red white and blue flag shaped like a star. Then I decided to go LARGE.
It takes quite a bit of time to sew each button to the fabric. What's worse is that I have issues placing the buttons on one at a time and ending up with the shape that I want. It just seems to get wonky. Instead, I put them all on at once, stitch the buttons around the outside and pray that I don't tap or knock the hoop while I'm doing the sewing.
Believe me, I've made a mess more than once. Often it totally changes the layout of my design. Sometimes for the better, but that's a rare occurrence. I really like my snowman with his red scarf and earmuffs. I still have to come up with a strap for his earmuffs but I don't have any tiny buttons. I might just use a piece of yarn or beads.
I love my pumpkin almost as much as my snowman. Then again, I'm a sucker for a nice shaped heart. I'd do more holidays but I think I need more buttons before I attempt it. I'm almost scared to even try to make a turkey...lol. Any suggestions?

Yesterday's snow day....

2009-03-03T07:43:00.002-05:00

Everyone was home yesterday. We had about 10 inches of white stuff fall over night.
It's kind of hard to judge the depth of the snow because it drifted a lot.
The wind really kicked up and it snowed on and off most of yesterday. It was heavy snow as well.
I went out and helped scoop the driveway and sidewalk, but then quickly returned to the warmth of a nice thick blanket.
Our neighbor lady was trying to chat it up with me while I was scooping. I wasn't having it. I was to darn annoyed with them. Once again, they used their snowblower to do their driveway and their sidwalk, only doing a foot of ours, because they used our partially scooped driveway to turn around. It drives me nuts. I mean, seriously, My Dad and the neighbors all snowblow each other's walkways and driveways, plus half the neighborhood. It's not like the neighbors dislike us, plus I watch their dogs for them when they are gone for free...so you'd think they'd be kind enough to do a few feet of sidewalk. If we had a snowblower, I'd do the entire side of our street, and our favorite neighbors across the street as well. I just don't get people.

Cross your fingers...I don't want a black and blue nose.

2009-02-09T00:14:00.002-05:00

My nose hurts. It's swollen and I've had ice on it for HOURS, in the hopes that it won't turn lovely colors tomorrow. I don't know if its broken or just a little cracked. What happened? Well, I was laying on the bed, Rue fell on my nose with her fist and all of her weight following behind it. It gave me an instant headache and hurt...OMG, did it hurt. Tisha and Rue got me some frozen veggies to put on it and then Rue got me a replacement package after she gave me a hug and kiss. She felt bad about it, the poor little girlie, but it was an accident afterall. She even went back to Grandma to get me some more frozen veggies before I even asked for them. Instead Grandma dug outthe ice pack and so I sent Rue back with the veggies before they thawed out completely. I finally took something to dull the throbbing nose pain I had. I'm telling you, it was even hard to smile. I'm hitting the hay now and praying that the swelling will go down and I won't be black and blue tomorrow for my Cousin's funeral.

I'm just a little distracted...

2009-02-05T19:12:00.002-05:00

How can I tell that my mind is somewhere else? That I have a lot on my mind? I'll tell you how... I was cleaning up some things on my desk and as my mind drifted to some memories of my cousin, I picked up what I thought was a brush applicator of lip color with moisturizer in it and brushed it on my lips,then I realized that it smelt funny and my lips stung...and that's when I realized that I brushed cutical and nail moisture treatment on my lips instead.

I better start paying attention before I spray hairspray on my pits instead of deoderant....that wouldn't be good either.

What a sad day its turned out to be.

2009-02-05T14:36:00.003-05:00

I found out this morning that my Cousin was found dead this morning by his grandparents. He would have been 30 this April. I'm still in shock over the news. I mean, its not something you can really brace yourself for. Looks like I'm going to be flying home this weekend for a monday funeral. We don't know much and probably won't until the autopsy comes back.

I made a few calls to let people know the bad news and left some messages for people to call me back. I went outside to scoop some of the snow and ice off the driveway and while I was out there a seagull pooped on my head. Uh yeah, super gross. I was pissed but then started laughing my ass off. I'd been thinking of my Cousin Jesse when it happened. All I could do was picture my Cousin and our Uncle Randy, sitting in heaven, busting a gut over the sight of me. Knowing those two, they sent that Gull for me.

I really need to blog, don't I!

2009-02-02T15:35:00.002-05:00

I don't know what my deal is. I guess my creative juices are not flowing. I have not made anything new since December. Fear not, I've been brain storming...well, more like brain farting, but the creative juices are starting to flow again. I have several ideas for crafts, from painting, to quilting to beading...and I all I'm waiting for is that little boost of energy to start me off. Right now, I'm making a list of possible projects, both new and half finished. I'm sure eventually I'll get something accomplished. I was actually in the mood to make sock creatures on Sat. My problem is that I had a ton of single silly socks that I could have cut up and made things with....BUT, I couldn't find the bag of socks. I'm just not sure where I put them. I know I stuck them somewhere so they wouldn't be in my way...and now I have no idea where that is. Although....hmmmm, I might have one more place to look.

Anyway, sooner or later I'll be crafting.

I heard some sad news the other day. One of my old babysitters daughters passed away. She was only 39 and preggers with her first child. Her hubby was on a business trip and when he couldn't get in touch with her he started to worry. I guess he sent someone over to look in on her and they found her dead. I haven't heard what caused her death, but really, it could have been anything..even an aneurysm. It's quite sad though. I just can't stop thinking about her or her family.

OK, enough of this. I need to flip the laundry and drag the garbage cans back from the curb.

giggle, giggle....

2009-01-29T02:50:00.003-05:00

I've got a secret...
I've got a secret...

..and I can't tell you about it until I have premission.

I'll post about it at a later date. I just can't spill the beans now or my name will be mud.

I just don't like the sound of Netter Mud, so mums the word.

For now, anyway.

Desperately seeking your garbage...<

2009-01-25T03:14:00.003-05:00

Does anyone use this type of hand soap in their bathrooms? I know some of you may have kids, so its possible you do. If so, I need the straw from the pump. See the Panda and the Lady Bug. They pop right off when the soap is used up. They also have tigers and monkeys and red birds. I have an idea for a recycled Christmas ornie for next year...but I need a few more. If you happen to be at a friends house and in the course of snooping around or washing up... you notice they use this soap container, could you do me a favor. Just ask them to save the animal straw for you...for me. Thanks. Oh and I still need used Christmas cards. I only got a couple this year. It seems everyone was worried about the economy and didn't send out cards like they normally do. I did, I sent out like 75. Yeah and I was lucky to get 10 cards. Depressing. Anyway, I thought I'd ask...maybe you still have some collecting dust.

176

2009-01-25T02:39:00.005-05:00

I saw this over at Sue's Good Yarns and thought, why not give it a go.

SUPPOSEDLY if you’ve seen over 85 of these films, you have no life. Well, I just happen to love movies...and books...and blogs...and crafts...so yeah, I suppose I don't have a life.
There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste this. Then, put x’s next to the films you’ve seen, add them up, change the header adding your number. Have fun.

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 9

(x) The Princess Bride
(x) Anchorman
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
(x) White Noise
(x) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 19

(x) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 23

(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(x) Resident Evil 1
(x) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
(x) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 33

(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
(x) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
(x) White Chicks
(x) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
(x) Robots
Total so far: 43

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
(x)Eight Crazy Nights
(x) Joe Dirt
(x) KING KONG (The Original)
Total so far: 54

(x) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
(x) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
(x) Dumber & Dumberer
(x) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
(x) Final Destination 3
(x) Halloween
(x) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
(x) Flubber [the original]
Total so far: 64

(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
(x) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
(x) Hellboy
(x) Secret Window
(x) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 73

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child’s Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
(x) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
(x) Just Married
(x) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
(x) Coach Carter
(x) The Grudge
(x) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
total so far: 86

(x) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean’s Eleven
(x) Ocean’s Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
(x) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator
(x) Predator II
(x) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 98

(x) Independence Day
(x) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
(x) Christine
(x) ET
(x) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 107

( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She’s All That
(x) Calendar Girls
(x) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 119

(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
(x) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday (the original)
(x) Reign of Fire
(x) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
(x) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 134

( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
(x) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf’s Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
(x) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 140

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 146

(x) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
(x) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
(x) Highlander
(x) Mothman Prophecies
(x) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 152

(x) The Jacket
( ) Kung *** Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
(x) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willa74
Total so far: 157

( ) High Tension (Haute Tension)
( ) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 162

(x) Kill Bill vol 1
(x) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 164

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 170

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
(x) Team America: World Police
(x) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
(x) Hannibal
Total: 176

OMG, that's a lot of movies. I'm actually suprised by the number of spooky movies that I've watched. I can't stand scary movies, we all know that...but somehow, I torture myself with them. Add to this the number of chick flix's that I've watched im my day and the sports movies that I love, like Fields of Dreams or The Natural, well.....this list would go on forever. Plus I have a thing for vintage movies. I really love a good black and white film. Oh and Disney films and cartoons!, Yeah, but the only good thing about movies is that once you have seen a movie, the next time its on TV, you can blog, or do crafts while watching it...multi tasking at its best.

Start saving!

2009-01-19T16:01:00.005-05:00

The School my Mom works at collects the "Box Tops for Education" symbols. They use them to earn library books for their elementary school library and since Mom works with the Special Ed kids, they benefit from the books...duh, right. Anyway, I thought I would start a little contest. I'm going to host a giveaway contest for the kids. What do you have to do? Well, to begin with, you just have to leave a comment letting me know you will help out. Leave me your email address or a link back to your blog, if your email addy is listed there. I'll send you my home address. Now take note of all the Box Tops For Educations products that you purchase and when you've used your item, clip out the small symbol and stick it somewhere you won't misplace them. For every 10 Box Tops For Education Symbols that you send me, your name will be added to the drawing. They even accept expired Box Top Symbols. I'm not sure when the final date will be for the drawing. I have to ask Mom when their deadline is for turning in the points. Stay tuned for updates, more info is to follow.

I've got some great ideas for the prize package, so you'll want to enter often. I'm even going to try to sew something special.....but that depends if "Satan" aka my sewing machine decides it wants to work.

I promise to start blogging again...SOON

2009-01-11T02:37:00.002-05:00

I know, I know. I basically fell off the face of the earth. I wasn't feeling well and I came home to issues. I leave and everything stops working and needs repairs. I wish I was joking.

I've got some fun things planned. You know, revenge pictures for posting pictures of me online that I can't stand...just another day for me. Anyway, I've got some fun things planned. Well, fun for me anyway...for my victims...not so much fun, but they deserve it.

I've also got some ideas for contests. So stay tuned. When I'm feeling 100%, you'll hear all about it.

The Rue at Christmas...better late than never (I'll explain the strange hair situation later.)

2009-01-11T02:21:00.002-05:00

I'm back...and I think I brought a bug with me.

2009-01-01T23:24:00.002-05:00

Yes, I feel like crapola. I knew I felt off when I was packing my suitcases this morning. I was dragging. I even took a nap in the car on the way to the airport. Trust me, I never give up a chance to bug the living hell out of my father by talking him to death in an enclosed space. Yet, somehow, I was able to get a little shut eye. I slept on my flights to NY too. The further I got from Nebrasky, the more my nose started to plug up. I'm sure I was snoring up a storm as well, but I don't really care. I managed to spend most of my trip germ free. That never happens. Every Christmas, I fly home to Nebrasky and come down with some form of plague. This year, it just decided to work the opposite way.

Since I'm all napped out, I can't sleep. Lucky for you, I decided to post about a few of the things that happened while I was home.

Nebraska had a lovely ice storm the night before I flew home. Lovely! Luckily Dad picked me up and I trust his driving on ice and snow. It's probably the only time I trust his skills at anything. He did several screwball things while I was home before he got on my nerves and we spent days growling at each other. The man doesn't listen, that's part of his problem. Anyway, the funniest thing he did was pour warm strawberry syrup on Mom's light grey carpet instead of his pancakes. It was probably the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. I'm sitting to his left, Rue is to his right and Mom is across from him. Mom always warms up his syrup for him because that is the way he likes it. Yeah, he's spoiled rotten. Anyway,She never screws the lid back on the jar, she just sits it on top of it. She's done this for YEARS. Anyway, Dad is a bit distracted because he's rattling on and on to Rue. He then picks up the Strawberry Syrup bottle and with his right hand turns the bottle quickly upside down and back upright. Now I saw this and noticed the white lid flew off. Then I notice how big his eyes are as he looked at the floor for several seconds before he turns to face Mom and says, "the lid came off." So I say, "Did anything spill out?" And he says, "Well, yeah." Mom says, "well, don't just sit there, clean it up." Then Dad says something silly about not knowing how to clean it up and that it was on his slippers. So, Mom jumps up, and grabs a towel, then as she is scrubbing the red sticky crap out of the carpet, she starts growling at him for being so stupid to shake the syrup...which he's never done before. Mean while, Rue is leaning over her booster seat, wide eyed, saying, "Uh oh, Papah!" I think in the future, Mom should just pour his syrup for him and cut up his pancakes, like she does for Rue.

Oh and I fell on my butt while getting my parents mail. That ice storm was pretty bad. The roads were a mess. Mom and I were headed downtown for some reason and I told her to get in the car, I'd get the mail because I didn't want her to slip on the driveway. I managed to get all the way down to the street with out falling. I could just stand stiff legged and the wind would blow me in the right direction. Anyway, I was taking tiny little steps and just as I got to the mailbox, BOOM, I slipped and landed on my elbow. Mom said she heard me saying some very choice words after I hit the ground. I hurried up and looked around to see if anyone had witnessed my graceful act. Thank goodness, nobody had. Let me tell you, not only was I covered in snow, sand and salt from the road, I was pretty stiff and sore for the next few days.

I'll post pics of the baby shower, Rue at Christmas...and the annual ornament exchange but not now. I have to down load pics and get my Mother to upload the pics on her camera for me. All in good time.

I'm going to go to bed now. Cross your fingers for me and pray I don't start to hurl. I kind of feel like I could.

A quickie...

2008-12-18T15:29:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and healthy Holiday season...before I'm sucked in to the void, known as Nebrasky. Yes, I leave super early in the morning. When I say early, I mean early....my ride is supposed to be here at 2:45 AM. Any bets on when they actually show up? I don't even want to think about it. I just get more stressed out when I do.

Anyway, I got most of my Christmas cards out...with the exceptions of three people that I have to hunt up addresses for again. Oh and I'm very excited to see how many people have the wrong card in their envelope. Don't ask. I just realized when I went to stick a card in that I wrote the night before but didn't stuff in the envelope, that I had the wrong card for that particular envelope....yeah, so who knows how many I goofed on. Well, at least it will make them think a little, laugh a little and make fun of me behind my back a lot. Oh well!

I stalling right now. I don't want to pack anymore. I'm tired and want a nap but that's not going to happen. Anyway....Happy Holidays!

They got them!

2008-12-13T02:12:00.003-05:00

Remember earlier in the year when I told the story about my Aunt getting beaten up in a robbery at her work place? Well, they caught the scum that did it. They were from Missouri and rumor has it that one of the guys had been turned in several years before for passing a bad check at the business. So, who knows, maybe it was about revenge...but I'm more inclined to think it was just stupidity that drove those guys to do something like that. I mean really, normal, sane people don't rob businesses and then beat the holy bejebbers out of the ladies who are complying to their every whim. Nope, it takes a special kind of jerk to beat up on unarmed women. It's just sickening. One of the guys they are keeping in Missouri because he stabbed and killed someone. The other guy admitted to the robbery in NE and then said he wanted to plea bargain....the dip wad! I mean seriously, he must have been a special kind of dumb to confess before working out a deal.

Oy Freaky Vey!

2008-12-12T02:43:00.004-05:00

I had a nightmare a little while ago. Freaked me out a little too. I don't even want to talk about it because I'm trying to get it out of my head so I can go back to sleep. I did try sleeping right away...but I started dreaming the dream again. Yeah, so I decided it was time to get out of bed and do something else for a while. Hence, the blog post. I know I'm not supposed to post when I'm lacking sleep but I don't want to start a new book. On top of everything, my eyeballs feel like dry balls of fire, except they are nice and juicy with tears. I think its allergies, unless I was sleep walking and decided I needed to smear something in my eyes. I don't think that's the case though..I'm just being dramatic.

I'll make a list of things that I need to do tomorrow.
1) Mail a bunch of packages via UPS and two via USPS.
2) stop at an eye glass place and have them replace the nose piece I lost. I have no idea how I lost it but its not comfy with one nose piece.
3) Stop at Jeans at noon for Chinese food and help decorate their Christmas tree.
4) Laundry...the electricity was going on and off today so I didn't get any loads completed.
5) Run the vacuum over the floor and the steps because they are gross and I don't think anyone else will do it. I guess its just gross by my standards.
6) Complete the rest of my Christmas cards....I'm almost done!
7) Go back to the store and buy two more pairs of the cashmere flannel pj bottoms...oh they are heaven and I live in them when I'm at the house.
8) Dig out my recipe for Puppy Chow for Katie
9) Go to the grocery store and pick up the ingredients for Katie's Puppy chow.
10) Make the puppy chow and try not to eat any of it....and by puppy chow, I don't mean dog food. It's a yummy treat with chocolate. I'll post the recipe and pictures if anyone is interested or hasn't heard of it.
11) Find the cord to my camera...the cord to my ipod....the charger to my camera...the charger to my ipod...so basically anything that needs a cord or a charger is missing right now. How annoying is that.
12) Post pics of the prizes that Darlene sent me...I soooo need to get those on the computer.
13) Crap, I have to get up early to take Sam and Brianna to school in the morning. I almost forgot...so that means I have about 3 hours to sleep before I have to do that.
14) Call and book my shuttle ride to the airport and my return for my Christmas vacation.
15) Call Michelle and see if she is free on the 21st.
16) Call Raine because have not heard her voice in a while.
17) Delete about 400 emails.
18) Start my list for my vacation packing.
19) buy some more make-up because mine is old and its time to restock.
20) Find a nice size metal washer for a scheme that I have cooked up.
21) Give up on the list and read a book instead or at the very least go back and correct all blog post typos when I'm actually away enough to notice them.

Night everyone!

Did you miss me?

2008-12-08T16:07:00.003-05:00

lol, probably not. Fear not, I didn't fall on my head or sleep walk into the bay. I'm safe and sound, feeling much better after that nasty bug I had around Thanksgiving. So, what have I been up to? Well, I mailed the baby shower invitations...FINALLY. That is checked off my list. I have most of my shopping done. I have all of my Christmas cards addressed, now I just have to write out the cards and mail them. I have not touched a single craft project, nope...not one. Instead I started reading the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer Uh yeah...I'm totally not into vampires or anything even slightly spooky but of course this series isn't scary, its just a big old love story/saga with some vampires in it.In Cousins daughter loved the series more than the Harry Potter series, so I was tempted. When Cindy told me it was worth reading I decided to give it a whirl. I started out with the first book, Twilight. I was kind of annoyed through the book but it was a fast read so I thought, why not give the second book a chance. If it didn't get any better, I'd just stop there. Well, it got better. Then I had to go out and buy the next next two books. As of this morning, I had all four books read. Yeah...and I liked the third and fourth book more then the first two. Granted I have issues with some of the characters because I think they are dingbats but I just have to remind myself that it was written for young adults, so maybe she dumbed it down so they could follow it. Maybe I'm wrong. Either way, I'm a bit embarrassed to say, I liked the series and I read the whole saga since Thanksgiving. Ms. Meyer is writing the fifth book and you can bet your sweet butt that I'll be picking that up when its published.

This week I plan on posting a few times. I still have to share what Darlene sent me....(I'm grinning from ear to ear as I type.)

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

2008-11-27T20:14:00.001-05:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Family name history - Family tree outline

Hang in there...

2008-11-24T23:16:00.002-05:00

I know I have not blogged in a week. Things were nuts, we had a house full of people this weekend and now I'm feeling under the weather...really under the weather. I promise that I will blog as soon as I feel up to it.

Cris tagged me with a meme...which I promise to do, just not right now. I'm going to bed and hopefully I'll sleep off this flu. Nancy had it last week and was down for almost 6 days. I hope she didn't give it to me.

It's so true!

2008-11-13T13:10:00.002-05:00

I like shiny things. I do. I like the idea of glitter. It's pretty. It sparkles. It makes me smile...until it gets all over everything and can't get rid of it. It never fails, you end up walking around covered in glitter for weeks after you work with it. It moves from item to item with such ease that its scary. Really, I guess you could say that it's a love/hate relationship that I have with glitter. I know that was random....but I felt I should share.

Wanna hear my pet peeve? Like you have a choice...

2008-11-11T23:24:00.004-05:00

I don't mind going to the grocery store. I really don't, but there are several things that push me to my breaking point. I've mentioned a few of them before...like people ignoring the little old ladies that can't reach the top shelf. I always ask them if they need help when I see them struggling to grab something. I just want to smack people who pretend they don't see them because it will take a whole two seconds out of their life. I mean come on! Where are peoples manners?! Another thing that drives me nuts are the people that take a shopping cart to buy two things. I totally understand if their items are heavy, ok, fine...but if they are getting butter and toilet paper, why the hell do they need a cart? COME ON! Grab a basket, they are right by the door when you come in. You know why it drives me crazy, I'll tell you. These are the same people that leave the cart blocking the isle when they leave. They are way to lazy to push the cart back to the receptacle in the front of the store. Oh, I'm not done yet. This drives me friggin nuts...people who take the cart to their cars and when they have loaded their groceries in their vehicles, they leave the cart in the parking lot, usually blocking the car next to them, when the cart receptacle is 4 cars away. OMG! Now I kind of understand if its someone with a handicap or an elderly person that doesn't get around well...fine, or if the weather is bad and its a Mother with little kids. Fine, but push it to the center between the cars where it won't interfere with others. I really think it should be considered littering and there should be a fine for leaving your cart behind someone else's car.
Here are a few of the services I provided, free of charge, at our local grocery store:
1) When I park, I usually grab a cart or two and take it back to the store entrance, even though I won't be needing a cart and will be grabbing a basket. I leave the cart for someone in need.
2) When I enter the store, if I don't see any baskets by the main doors, I go to the customer service center and grab a few, keeping one for myself and leaving the rest at the main door. I have to head to the produce section anyway, so its not such a big deal and it saves someone else the trip.
3)I help elderly people, children or anyone that looks like they may need a helping hand to reach something or pick something up.
4) When checking out, I empty my goods on the conveyor belt and stack all the baskets under the front edge of the check out isle, where several others shoved their baskets and block the isle for people with cars.
5)I always place the conveyor belt dividing strip behind my purchase so the next person can start unloading their cart or basket right away. People are funny about that and are often afraid to put their stuff on the belt because our items may merge as the belt moves forward and narrows.
6) I don't just stand there and let the checker do all the bagging, especially when the store is crazy busy. I can bag and watch the screen for correct price scanning. It's not that hard. Plus the ladies always thank me for helping and it makes them smile.
7) When leaving the store, there is always a cart left behind my car. ALWAYS! Grrr! Instead of shoving it over for the next sucker to deal with, I put my groceries in the car and then take the cart to the receptacle. I've been known to grab another cart that is blocking an entire space while I'm at it. There is nothing worse then trying to pull into a spot, only to discover that there is a cart blocking the whole space. If I see someone walking to the store, I ask them if they need a cart. If so, I hand over the one I was going to put away.

See, not hard things to do...not hard at all.

I just felt like making food.

2008-11-10T08:14:00.002-05:00

Get it! "Felt" like making food. Oh, I'm so corny sometimes, but I can't help it. So, I have been hip deep in projects lately. I just have not been posting things because some of them are gifts. I know The Rue will not be checking out my site, so I don't have to worry about her seeing this. I've sketched out a ton of possible felt food designs that I can make for Rue's new kitchen set. You have to have cookies for tea.
Then you must have pancakes and eggs, sunny side up, for breakfast and a little bow tie pasta for lunch. I've even got plans for tacos, carrot slices, green beans, fruit slices and waffles. The great thing about felt food, is that you can work on it anywhere. It's a great take along project.

Look what I bought for The Rue Rue

2008-11-04T22:02:00.003-05:00

Yep, its time to spoil the niece a little. This is what I decided to get her for Christmas. She's going to love it. She already plays with the kitchen set at daycare and loves washing the dishes. Kids always love washing pretend dishes, just wait until she's older...oh, the fun my Sister has in store for her. Anyway, I looked around quite a bit. I don't really like all the modern plastic kitchen sets they have out there. Plus, this one reminds me of the kitchen set that I never got as a child. Don't get me wrong, I had plenty of toys, just not a kitchen set, or the Crayola art set that we always seemed to give as birthday presents, but I never got myself. Oh well. For her birthday The Rue is getting a white wooden table and chairs to go with her kitchen. Oh, I have a few other things as well. Hey, she's my only niece...and since the odds are against me for having any more little nieces or nephews to spoil, I have to make this one count. If they make washers and dryers that are in this style, that's what she's getting for her half birthday. I'll have to check into that. I have to get busy on those quilts for her new dolly bed as well. How many days until Christmas?! Eek!

That's checked off my list

2008-11-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

Now, lets get this election over with so half of us can celebrate, the other half complain and we can get on with the real news. Enough of this election coverage.

I warned them.

2008-11-01T01:24:00.002-04:00

OK, so you know how I told you that I saw a mouse last night. Well, I saw him again today. I firmly scolded him for entering the house. I gave him two choices to choose from. #1)Leave peacefully, find a new home and nobody gets hurt. #2)Stay and suffer a painful, but speedy death. The mouse didn't leave and I lied a little, because I ended up buying some glue traps. I went with the glue for one reason. I didn't want to be freaked out in the middle of the night when I heard a loud CLICK of a conventional trap snapping down on the furry little head of my unwelcome house guest.

Turns out, I have more than one house guest. I caught two on one trap. Gag, oh gag. I cleared those away via the outside trashcan and hoped that was all she wrote. Nope, seems like we got a 4 star rating in the Mouseville travel book, because I saw another mouse tonight. He managed to get himself in a sticky situation rather fast. Then I saw another one. Yeah, that makes three dead and another on the loose...probably more. Nancy said they have never had mice in the 15 years they have lived in this house. I've been here 7...almost 8 years and this is a first for me. GAG! I think a pregnant mouse got in here when we had some work done and the guys left the door slightly open for several hours. Hopefully I can kill them all before they have babies, because I find them creepy and I can't stand knowing they might be lurking around. I have discovered that they are coming into the basement via the door where the breaker box and the water meter is located. It's not framed in there, so there is a gap between the concrete and the studs. I'm going to carpet that entrance with glue pads. I have seven more glue pads placed around the base boards. On top of that, Monday morning, I'm calling an exterminator.

Katie's Two Year Blogiversary Giveaway!

2008-11-01T01:08:00.002-04:00

Oh yes, dear friends, it seems like the spirit of giving is in the air these days. If you sew, you will want to check out See Katie Sew. Katie is celebrating her two year blogiversary with a lovely fabric bonanza giveaway. I've just discovered her site and I can't wait to explore her archive. I'm guessing there is some amazing eye candy in that blog...I mean, seriously, from what little I've see...she's got some mad skills that put a beginner like myself to shame!

Happy Halloween! Oh, and we have a mouse.

2008-10-31T14:50:00.003-04:00

There is a house in the neighboring town, about 5 blocks from where I lived when I was Katie and Chris' nanny.
For many years, they have been going crazy with their Halloween decorations. I friggin' love this house.
They put a lot of work into it. Someday, my house will be this scary. I'll have to sit on a bench by the front sidewalk to hand candy to the little ones that are totally scared and refuse to go to the door.
Maybe I'll have to sit across the street. lol, sometimes that's to close for the little ones.

Oh and I caught a glimpse of our new household critter. We have a mouse. He's so tiny and scared the living crap out of me, but it was just short lived. You know how it is, when you see something like that, you are startled, because it shouldn't be there. I let the little guy know, in no uncertain terms that he had two very simple choices to make. #1)He can leave peacefully, just move on to another house. #2)He can die a quick but painful death. I'm sorry but there is no wiggle room here. Its my way or the highway. Anyway...I have glue traps and the old fashioned snap traps all over the basement right now. I'm going to get that little bugger if its the last thing I do.

Huh!

2008-10-30T11:23:00.002-04:00

What do you mean, normal people don't color coordinate their pins? What?! I certainly have to disagree with that statement. I'm the most normal person I know and I have a habit of sticking them by like colors in my big heart shaped pin cushion.

Sheesh, Anyway, I have one of my little quilts quilted thanks to my handy dandy darning foot for the old sewing machine. It was a gift from my Mom and Dad for my birthday, along with a walking foot, which I'm going to use soon, to finish up some stray projects I have around here. First, I'll be binding that little dolly quilt. Just ignore the two blocks that are different because I just winged it on them. You see, I originally flipped my template when I cut out two colors. When I noticed that during sewing, I couldn't find the template I made, so I just cheated a little. Who cares, its for kids, not a national quilt show. Seriously, like a little kid would notice and flip out over it.

I've got a new problem. I'm in love with this quilting business. Oh, its not good at all. This is going to be expensive.

Atleast something was done around here today...

2008-10-28T19:04:00.002-04:00

The Garage door is FIXED! YES! Sometimes its the little things in life that make us the happiest, like a garage door that functions as it is supposed to.

I was running around the house, picking things up, you know, the normal stuff, when I remembered that I wanted to run to the bank...so I did and then I went to the dry cleaners and the grocery store. I came home did some more laundry, swept the floor in the kitchen, distributed toilet paper to the three other bathrooms and started cooking dinner. Oh yes indeed. Then I realized there was no heat in the house. I cranked the thermostat to see if it would kick on...Nope, so I made the service call and an hour later, we had heat.

Yep, its the little things like a functioning door and some heat on a cold, windy night that makes an OK day something special.

lol, I must need a life or something..lol, if that's all it takes.

Guess what!

2008-10-27T18:22:00.003-04:00

Sam just found out the class rankings for his Senior class. Guess who will be giving the Valedictorian Graduation Ceremony Speech. Go ahead guess. If you guessed Sam, you are correct, he is ranked number one. Let me tell you, he put a lot of work into getting that spot. He really gave up a social life outside of school to be in that position, but he got what he wanted.

First the phone rings....

2008-10-27T00:54:00.003-04:00

Yep, my phone rang, so I answered it. I said, "Hello." The person on the other end of the line said this..."You jerk, you jinxed me!" Yep, no...hello, no...how are you doing. Oh and for the record, I didn't jinx her. How do I know this? It wasn't my idea to begin with...it was hers. Yes, my Cousin jinxed herself and tried to blame it on me. What is this world coming to! lol.

Fear not, I'm still alive

2008-10-26T00:05:00.000-04:00

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I didn't carve it...so, eat up Fuzzy Butt!

2008-10-24T20:25:00.007-04:00

La, la, la...what's this?! Hmmmm, I guess I'll investigate. It can't hurt to check it out. Hmmm, smells interesting. I wonder if its edible. Well, there's only one way to find out. We just have to make sure that nobody is looking. Gotta check all the windows. There's always someone in there spooking me. Nope, nope, it looks clear. Wait, FREEZE! False alarm. OK, here we go...Ready, Set...

ATTACK!
OMG, his brains taste sooo good. I wish I'd been here earlier to get his eyeballs. The best stuff always goes first.

I can't believe I called him a Dill Weed.

2008-10-24T19:32:00.005-04:00

I'm not even sure if that's a bad thing, but I did. I called the alarm company guy that was doing our annual overhaul a dill weed. At first I thought it was just internal dialog...because that's where all my good comments take place...but then I realized by the look on his face that I had said that part out loud. It's his fault really. They set off our alarm and I just kept doing what I was doing because they have a code that is supposed to shut it off. Well, they came looking for me and asked me if I would try our code because theirs wouldn't work. So...I strolled over to the key pad, siren blasting, as it has been for SEVERAL minutes. I flip open the cover, punch in the code. Nothing. I look at him and said..."so much for an easy job, huh." (When they arrived they thought this was going to be simple because its the first time they ever arrived here with all system ready and no flashing lights because of bad connections or broken sensors. Hey, I told them, like I tell everyone that there is NO easy job when this house is involved...somethings always screwy and it takes forever to fix.) Anyway, The guy looks at me and dares to say to me, "Are you sure you punched in the right code." To which I replied...as sarcastically as possible, might I add, "Uh, yeah Dill Weed, It's the same code we've used for the last 7 years." Then I saw the strange look on his face and I started laughing as I said, "OMG, I just called you a Dill Weed, didn't I?! I don't even know what that means." Luckily old Frank, had a sense of humor about it. Frank is a BIG guy. he could have squashed me with his toes. Anyway....after they re-programed the system and put our code back in there it worked. That's how my morning started...it just got worse as the day went on.
Then...I did this. Sam came home from school and informed me that not only was he hungry, he needed something halfway healthy to eat because he'd only had an energy drink for breakfast and then proceeded to skip lunch and ate three cookies instead. He was all sad that the pasta dish I made the night before was gone. I had it for lunch. Sam rarely eats leftovers, so I didn't think twice about it. Being the nice person that I am....and wanting him to have something healthy, I proceeded to recreate that pasta dish, minus the fresh spinach, because we were all out and minus the freshly cooked chicken because I'd used it all yesterday. Instead, I dug the rotisserie chicken out of the back of the fridge and chopped up the breasts off of that. I smashed some HUGE garlic cloves, chopped it and stuck it in a pan with some hot olive oil, cooked it up, shoved in the chopped chicken, then after that cooked for a couple of minutes, I poured in this new sauce that I found at the store that is not only spicy and yummy, its so much lower in sodium then the rest of the pasta sauces. I let that simmer while I dug out the pasta. We had 1/4 of a box of angel hair pasta, so I stuck that under my arm while I opened a half full box of linguine. I poured the linguine in the boiling water because it takes forever to cook compared to the angel hair. I then turn and drop a spoon that I'd picked up. I bend over to pick up the spoon from the floor, forgetting I had an open box of pasta tucked under my armpit, and spilt that sucker in a huge pile onto my freshly swept and mopped floor. How annoying is that! I took a quick picture, ignoring the 5 second rule, because it reminded me of playing Pick Up Sticks as a kid. So in a nutshell...today was interesting...especially when the garage door broke. Long story...but it wasn't my fault.

SCORE!

2008-10-23T17:43:00.005-04:00

So... when I got home just a little bit ago, I grabbed the mail and stuck it on the counter. I started sorting it and found a package for ME. Before I looked at the return address, I tried to remember if I'd ordered anything lately, but suddenly realized the return label had my friend Tami's name on it. "Whaaaaat!" I got very excited, like when a kid sees his birthday present all wrapped up and just out of reach. I tore into that package and low and behold, the cutest darn toe socks I have seen in YEARS. OMG, I love them...LOVE THEM! Then I start reading the letter and I was all warm and fuzzy inside. A real letter, not email, but an honest to goodness letter. Then I remembered...and wondered....was I the recipient of the letter that Tami used to mark another thing off her list!? I think I was number 80! I sure hope so!

Thank you Tami! Tell Meredith (Tami's daughter), she has excellent taste in socks. I highly recommend her as your personal shopper if you are ever in the need of one for sock shopping.

It's been a long day.

2008-10-23T17:19:00.003-04:00

That color is called Polar Sky, by Benjamin Moore. Nancy and I drove into the City today, to their apt on the upper west side. First we dropped stuff off at her parents house, then dropped stuff off at the apt and then we had to move the van because of street cleaning. We didn't want a ticket, so we found a garage and spent an arm and a leg to park it until I picked it up at 3:30. Anyway, I have to go back sometime next week and do a second coat. That paint is VERY difficult to see where you missed spots before its dry. Luckily, I don't think I'll need the latter again. I tried to make sure I got enough paint on when I did the boarders. Luckily I didn't have to do a perfect job so I didn't even bother taping. I just free handed it. Actually, I think it looks much better when I free hand the edges then when I tape it. Strange but true. I love doors with little windows above them. They are so cute. Oh and I didn't paint the woodwork because that has to be done throughout the entire apt before they move in. I just needed to get the wall paint up so when the Murphy bed is installed, you can see the new paint behind it. Hey I got paid good money for easy work...can't beat that. The light switch looks strange because I took the plate off to paint...don't freak.
I love this little window in the swinging door into the butlers alley toward the kitchen and the second door that leads to the back stairwell. I love the color of yellow and the black and white marble floors. It's cute.
I had the pleasure of driving myself home this afternoon. Nancy has something she has to do this evening and won't be home her normal time...plus, who wants to drive home in rush hour traffic from NYC. It was pretty stop and go for me and I was beating the rush. I thought I'd share a picture I took from the Triborough Bridge, while I was driving. Not bad for just pointing and shooting while I was watching where I was driving.

Birthday Alert

2008-10-22T09:07:00.003-04:00

Today is Mandy's birthday. I've recently goated her into starting a blogger blog, basically because I never log into myspace, where she usually haunts. I know, its hard to resist Netters peer pressure. Anyway, Mandy is my Cousin Cindy's neighbor in Kansas. Pop over and wish her a Happy Birthday and encourage her to blog often. I'll drag everyone into my web of online blogging, just give me enough time to harass them endlessly.

What do yah think?

2008-10-21T08:01:00.002-04:00

I managed to get one of the tops done last night, while watching TV...but then I was to tired to do the rest. I'll work on them later. There are a couple of issues but nothing that big...plus, what little kid is going to say, "Hey, look at this shoddy craftsmanship, the seams don't meet perfectly here and here." Let's face it...if they did say that, I'd yank it out of their hands and tell them to go make their own dolly quilt. OK, I probably wouldn't but still...I'd like to.

I'm not sure if this is my influence or not...

2008-10-20T15:13:00.003-04:00

My friend Tami taunts me. First she went to visit Rue, when I couldn't and took pictures of her. Now she's moved on to my Cousins new baby, Beau...who is 10 lbs already and who I have not been able to see or hold yet. I mean, seriously! Grr. Anyway, here is how Tami taunted me....and I would have done the same if given the chance, for the record.

Guess who I saw yesterday!

Oh, he's so precious! Such sweet little squeezy cheeks!

Yep, that's little Beau.

The kids & I went to Mom & Dad's church yesterday for the soup dinner and while I was in the basement during the sermon with Philip (who really likes church acoustics, by the way), Deanna brought Beau down to change him. So I had to get the camera and take a couple of pictures to torture you.

What I mean is, so you would have a couple of new pictures of him.

See? I'm just looking out for you! ;)

You know you want them...

2008-10-20T13:02:00.002-04:00

No, you NEED them. My boss plays tennis every weekend. Once he opens the balls, he won't reuse them the following week. We go through a crap load of balls. We'd also have foyer closet full of used tennis ball containers if I didn't dig them out and pass them on. I've got everyone I know around here, overstocked with tennis balls for their dogs. I've even given boxes of these to local nursing homes to use on the bottom of walkers. I've got a huge bag waiting for a home people....and they are calling your name. So, if you have dogs or kids, maybe even another use for these bad boys, leave a comment. They will gladly be shipped your way. I just hate for them to end up in a landfill after only being used for a few games. They need to be loved, abused, dirtied, left in the bushes for a season or two. Yes, they need to be worn out. Come on, you know you want them!

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

2008-10-20T08:25:00.001-04:00

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!! OMG, you have to check this out! I'd love to win it for my Rue Rue...but I'm just one person in a sea of many who think this woman has crazy mad talent. Hey, if you don't have a young daughter or niece to win it for, you could always enter and if you win...send it Rue's way. Hint, hint!

I can't make up my mind...

2008-10-20T01:35:00.003-04:00

Well, my blocks are done. yep, all four sets, in two different sizes. I just need to figure out how to arrange them for the final top. I may have to lay them out on the table, take pictures of the different arrangements and let you, my favorite readers, decide for me. I already have several ideas for other dolly quilts and a heart project for myself. Ah, to find the time. I still have to finish the cookie quilt I started and I'd really like to make a Christmas cottage quilt but have the blocks be seasonal instead of just Christmas. My scrap basket is already filled to the top, as you can see...just imagine what it would look like after I get done with everything I'd like to make.

I'm in rare form...or not so rare afterall.

2008-10-19T19:54:00.005-04:00

My Mother always tells me to behave and stay out of trouble...but she's just wasting her breath and I think she knows that. I really can't help myself. Sometimes I'm such a smart ass, it even amazes me. Well, plus there are some people that its just so easy and way to much fun to pick on.

I've been referring to the Lake down by my Aunt Carole and Uncle Gary's house as a mud hole. For the fun of it more than anything. All though, it may be one of the nicer lakes in their state, I firmly pretend to believe the entire state is just one big mud hole. After all, there has to be at least one state you tease and make fun of. I seem to have several but that's just my way. I am my Father's daughter, after all. I can't help myself...its genetic.

So, my Uncle sent me a picture of the lake with this sentence below the picture: "Now how can you call this lake a mud hole?" Of course, I replied as such: "It's not hard...you know Sewage Ponds look pretty from a distance, but I wouldn't want to swim in one." Hehehhee...ah, life is good. I'm sure he has just as much fun tormenting me as I do him. Like I said...its genetic.

Did I really just say that?

2008-10-18T16:27:00.003-04:00

I was digging around in the fridge a few minutes ago and found myself saying in a very sing-songy voice that, "I hanker for a hunk of cheese." Thank goodness nobody was around because I was doing a bit of a oddball dance move in conjunction with said phrase. Dare I tell you what the move was? Why not...I kind of looked like I was pumping an old train cart, with my heels together, knees flexing. Yes, I know I'm a dork. After I recovered from laughing at myself, it took about 5 minutes for me to remember where I'd heard that phrase before. I thought I'd share so the tune would be lodged in your brain as well. View at your own risk. I will not be held responsible if you start singing it over and over and are slowly driven insane.

Happy Birthday Marianne!

2008-10-18T08:13:00.002-04:00

Today is a big day in Texas....personally, I think it should be a state holiday or something, but nobody ever listens to me. Anyway, yes, it is Marianne's birthday. So.... do me a favor, pop over to her blog and send a few b-day blessings her way. She deserves them.

Happy Birthday Mare!