I'm back

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!

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...

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.

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

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?

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!

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

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,

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

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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?

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!

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...

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...

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!

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!

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?"

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.