Paycheck Fantasy

Pay day.  Yippee.   However, just once I would like to look at my check and see an extra $1,000 in it.   Just because.    I would love to be surprised by my employer with that extra $ as an expression of his appreciation for the awesome job I do.   Of course it will never happen.  But, I have this hope . . . maybe fantasy is a better word.    I would then take $500 of that extra cash and go to the grocery store and not care that peanut butter costs $6 for a small jar.  I would throw it in my cart with abandon!   I would get plenty of frozen food so that when my son asks "is there anything to eat?" I would point him towards the freezer where he would have an array of yummy frozen microwavable things to choose from.   I wouldn't worry that the price of cereal keeps going up while the box keeps getting smaller.  I would pick our favorite kinds and throw them in the cart.  

Maybe I just need to be a contestant on Supermarket Sweep (is that still on??).

Tag - You're It

I love tag!   I haven't played it in years!   Of course, these days I probably couldn't run fast enough to NOT get tagged!   I'd always be "it."      Sarah tagged me and asked me to play.   Who can resist Sarah?  Not me!   And this is a fun way to get to know each other!

The rules say that I need to (1)  answer 11 questions posed to me by Sarah; (2) come up with 11 questions to ask my "tagees" and (3) tag 11 blog friends (no tag-backs) to answer my questions.  

My 11 answers:

1.   Do you, or did you before blogging, also write in any other formats?   Kind of.  I have several journals that I have started (some years and years ago).   The idea was to write in them every day, like a diary.   I write in them very infrequently, though.   Shame on me!

2.  Why did you start blogging?  This is kind of embarrassing.   I am always looking for ways to earn extra money.  I have friends who blog and earn money from their blogs.  I started my blog with google adsense on it, but they banned me because my daughter kept clicking on the ads!   hahaha!   Now it's just fun!

3.  Do you ever have to stop reading another blog because the grammar or spelling makes you crazy?  Short answer:  No.  I try not to judge by that criteria :)

4.  Have you ever met the author of a blog you follow?  I know a few of my blogging friends, only because they are relatives or friends.   But I have not met any NEW blogging buddies, although I think it would be a blast.

5.  What is your all-time best ever thing you ate?  That's a hard one.  I honestly can't think of a single favorite thing.  Although, now that I think of it - - there was a Mexican restaurant that I used to eat at with co-workers when I worked at the District Attorney's office in Orange County, CA.   They had the best burrito I have ever eaten!  I can even taste it right now as I am typing.   Oh drat!  I want one!

6.  If you had one week and an unlimited Visa card to go anywhere in the world, but you had to spend that week alone, where would you go and what would you do?   This one is easy - - if I couldn't take my husband with me, I wouldn't go.   Period. 

7.   What is your one pet peeve of all time?  This one's easy, too.   People who are late.   We are all late . . . sometimes.  Some people make a habit of it.   And it's really not that hard to be on time.   I hate that!!

8.  Have you ever visited a place and just "felt" that you belonged there?  Everytime we visit my sister and her family in California, it feels "right."   We all feel it -- it's the favorite place my children like to go.   But it's sad, though, because we don't go there often enough.   And I think it's about time for a trip!

9.  Do you prefer to have a grocery store employee back your bags or do you prefer to do it yourself?  If I did it, I would break the eggs, squish the bread. . .

10.  How large was your high school graduating class?  Have you ever attended a reunion?  I think our high school was the smallest in Anaheim, but we still had several hundred (I think).  And no, no way would I ever go to a reunion.  

11.  How do you feel about salon care?   I like professional hair cuts, never had my hair professionally colored, would never get a massage, and no one will ever touch my  feet but me!!

Here are my tagees -- visit them - - they are all incredibly insightful and awesome and funny!

1.  Nain
2.  Tammy
3.  Mark
4.  Graciewilde
5.  Delores
6.  Larissa
7.  Lisa
8.  Kelly
9.  LuLu
10. Dana
11. Michelle

Now my 11 questions for each of them --

1.  Dogs or cats or neither?
2.  Your favorite holiday and why (besides Christmas)?
3.  What is the greatest life lesson you've learned so far?
4.  Is it easy for you to say "I'm sorry"??
5.  What is the one place in the U.S. that you have always wanted to visit?  Why?
6.  How do you deal with anger?
7.  Comedies or dramas?   Favorite?
8.  When was the last time you laughed out loud? 
9.  Are you who you want to be?  Anything you would change about yourself?
10. Do you have a hero?   Who is it?  Why?
11. Have you ever lied about your age or weight?  In what circumstance?

My Adventure With The Creepy Looking 8-Legged Mutant-Faced Things

I'm sure you didn't miss me, but I've been gone for a few days.  

Last Saturday I was unwillingly guided to a cave-like place by a little, creepy looking, hairless creature.   He left me there.   Total abandonment.  I thought we were friends, or at least had a mutual respect, but I guess not.  I didn't know where I was or how to get out. When I was trying to figure my way out, I was attacked by a giant, disgusting eight-legged freak of nature.  I tried to get away, but it was too fast and too big.  It pierced me with its pincer-like tentacles and paralyzed me.   While I lay there, rendered helpless, it wrapped me in a cocoon and left me there, lying on the floor of the cave, while it went and looked for more prey, I guess.   Laying there helpless, wrapped up tight and unable to move or speak, three horrid, big, mutant-faced "things" came and found me.  They spoke with some sort of weird accent.  They poked at me and I guess they figured I was dead.  They picked me up and took me up to where they lived.   They dumped me on the floor and talked about how they should eat me.  I was certain I was to be their dinner.   Just as I was about to give up hope of ever getting out alive . . . in came my best and most loyal friend ever . . . and he saved me.   And then we found our way home.

And here I am.  I am back.

Just Kill The Ugly Thing!

As I read Sherry's post today I was reminded of an incident at work yesterday.   I work in the basement, practically alone.  I like it that way.   Everyone else is upstairs, where the furniture is much nicer and there are windows.    But, honestly, it is so nice having an office down here - away from the noise and drama.   Yup, just me . . . and the spiders.

So yesterday morning I picked up a file and a spider scurried away.   Actually, "scurry" is really not the word.   It practically flew.   Ninja spider.  Honest.   Then it just stood there, on the desk, watching me.  Me watching it.  It was standing still, yet its legs were moving, and I could see its eyes watching me.   Seriously.  It was ugly.   Very ugly.   And the way it moved its front legs reminded me of a crab.  Very creepy.   I was not going to take my eyes off of it.   I didn't want it to get away.  I was going to watch it until someone came down to my office . . . no matter how long it took.   You see, I spent a week in a hospital after being bit by a spider, so I am not too fond of them.   They gross me out.  And this one particularly grossed me out, the way it just stood there.  Watching me.   Creepy.

Finally, after about a ten minute standoff, someone came down.   I yelled, "Be careful!!  Killer spider!!"   I immediately asked him to get rid of (meaning KILL) the spider.   He looked at it and said, "wow, it's beautiful!"   Beautiful?!  Are you crazy?!   So, he slipped it under a piece of paper he had in his hand and then walked it out into the hall and let it loose.   HE. LET. IT. LOOSE.  Right outside my office!    Because he thought it was beautiful.  Idiot. 

And now I have to look over my shoulder because I KNOW it's coming back to get me.  Those eyes. 

Difference of Opinion

It used to be that if someone disagreed with my opinion or something I said I would start to doubt myself and my position.  I would automatically think that the other person was right because everybody was smarter than me.   As I got older I realized that my opinion is just that . . . my opinion.   And someone else's opinion is just that . . . their opinion.   No right.  No wrong.   You can like people who don't agree with you.  You can even love people who don't agree with you.   So glad I figured that out!!   Opinions rock!!

Evil Soda Machines

Diet Peach Snapple and chocolate IS a good breakfast, right?   As I was sipping and nibbling my chocolate and Snapple this morning, I thought of all the changes happening in the school lunch programs.   And I wondered if my mother would have been chastized by the powers that be had she sent me to school with Diet Peach Snapple and chocolate in my lunch?  Would the gestapo have called her into the principal's office and lectured her on proper and nutritious lunches?   I think not.   Back then parents were allowed to be the parents. 
  
The other day I read about a high school in Utah that was fined $17,000 by the feds (yes, the federal government).  Wanna know why?   Because they forgot to turn off their soda machines during the students' lunch periods.  Yes.  You read right.   The soda machine.   So, because the machines were left on during the lunch periods, students dropped their dollar into the machine and bought soda.  And for that . . . $17,000 fine (which probably goes right into the fed's party coffer).     The soda machines are allowed to be on all day long - - except the lunch hour.  I don't know about you, but that doesn't make much sense to me.  Students can buy soda in the morning and in the afternoon, after lunch.  But not at lunch.  Now, if a student were smart (and I think a lot of them are), they would just buy a soda in the morning and save it for lunch.   Because they're not forbidden to DRINK soda at lunch, just forbidden to BUY soda at lunch.   Stupid stupid stupid.

I am so glad that my husband and I were able to parent our children without interference . . . without being told what to feed them, how to discipline them, how to raise them.  Honestly, people, it DOES NOT TAKE A VILLAGE . . . just one or two loving parents.

Mr. Plumber Boy

We had to call the plumber last week.   We had three plugged drains.   Three.   Mr. Plumber Boy came and he unplugged the first and second drains, no problem.   Ten minutes.   The third drain, the kitchen drain, was a different story.   I wasn't there when he came.   Fortunately, I was at work.  I can't think of too many scenarios where I would rather be at work than at home.   But this was one of them.   It took Mr. Plumber Boy three hours to NOT fix the kitchen drain.   Yes.  You heard me right.  Three hours to NOT fix the drain.   I guess he worked pretty hard . . . at not fixing the drain.   Nothing he did worked.   He snaked, he cranked, he ughed, he did just about everything he could think of.  So, he called his boss, the owner.   And Mr. Plumber Boy was told to bring out the big gun . . . yup - the acid.   

Big Mistake.   Mr. Plumber Boy had never used the acid before.  

This was my kitchen sink before - - 

 When we moved into our home 11 years ago, the kitchen was U.G.L.Y.  A throwaway from the 50s.   Some 50s stuff can be really cool and retro.  Our 50s kitchen was just plain ugly.  It wasn't until 8 years later when we were finally able to redo our kitchen - - and only because our dishwasher was kind enough to flood the kitchen and ruin everything, thereby homeowners insurance (and dishwasher manufacturer insurer) TO THE RESCUE!    And I got my new kitchen.   Still a small kitchen, but not an UGLY small kitchen anymore.   

Then enters Mr. Plumber Boy - - and acid.   

Now my kitchen (or at least a small portion of it) looks like this - - 

    
Yes, Mr. Plumber Boy splashed acid and ruined my sink and countertop. 

Enter Mr. Plumber Boy's boss and insurer . . . TO THE RESCUE.

Super Saturday

My daughter and I are going to see the Avengers tonight.   I'm starving.  I may have to sneak in some pizza or something.   Although that could be messy.   I could probably buy a whole pizza for what they charge for popcorn.    It's crazy, isn't it, what you pay just to see a stupid movie?  It will be matinee prices, so that's $7.50 each.   I remember when matinee prices were a dollar. 

Anyway, back to the Avengers.   At first I thought it was a movie based on that British TV show years ago . . . remember, the one with Emma Peel.  I loved that show.   But I realize now that it's about superheroes . . . Captain America, Iron Man . . . I'm sure you knew already that.   Anyway, as soon as I realized that none of the Avengers in this movie would have an accent, I started thinking about superheroes and which one I would want to be.  

I've always had this thing about flying.   When I was little I always fantasized about having a magic carpet and flying about.   And once my friend and I thought that if we had enough balloons, we could go sailing in the sky.  So, I definitely would need to be a flying superhero. 

As far as my costume, no spandex . . . please, no spandex.   And no pointy metal bra.  Other than that, I'm not picky.  Except, no yellow.  I don't look good in yellow.

Anyway, I'm off now to the bank to take out a loan so I can go to the movies.     Cherrio.

I'm Not Old, Am I?

Yesterday I said to my 21 year old son and his girlfriend, "Isn't it sad about Donna Summer"?  And they both said, "Who?"  I was appalled that they didn't know who the great Donna Summer was and I knew I had to school them!   I got my iphone and started playing "Last Dance" for them, knowing they would surely recognize it and love it as I do.   Nada.  Never heard of it.  "On the Radio" - - ditto.  Never heard of it.  I felt so old. 

So, I played a couple of other songs I have on my phone to see if they'd heard of them . . . "I'll Stand By You" by the Pretenders.   Yes, they had heard that.   But didn't know who the Pretenders were.  Oh brother.    And then one of my all-time favorites, "Landslide" by the one and only Stevie Nicks.   They knew that song, but they knew it by different artists - Dixie Chicks, Smashing Pumpkins.   And I'm like - - NO!  Stevie Nicks is the original and best - - she WROTE this song!  And my son said "She wasn't the first one to sing this song."   And I'm like, "Yes, she was!"    He's like, "No, she wasn't."  Then he starts looking up on his iphone . . . and says, "Ah ha!   Fleetwood Mac recorded that song first!"   Dude!!   Stevie Nicks IS Fleetwood Mac!!     "Oh."


I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Mmm, mmm, mmm

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older and I'm getting older too
Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older and I'm getting older too
Oh, I'm getting older too

Awh, take my love, take it down
Awh, climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide bring it down

And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well, the landslide bring it down
Oh, the landslide bring it down

They don't write lyrics like that anymore!



 

Summer: the Greatest Season of Music

My post about the 70s?   The one where I said there were only two good things that came out of that decade -  yes, that one.   Well, I lied.  DISCO, baby!!!!    One of my favorite genres of music is DISCO!  I love it!   Nothing makes me want to get up and dance and sing and be crazy like Disco!   And I am so sad that Donna Summer has gone to that great Disco Ball in the Sky.   She was my favorite.   And two of my all-time favorite songs are "On the Radio" and "Last Dance."    I hear those songs and grab my pretend microphone and start dancing and singing at the top of my lungs (at least in my mind I do).  I am actually doing that right now as I pay tribute to the greatest disco songstress EVER.

I will miss you, Donna Summer.  

Kreativ? Me? I Hardly Think So

Thank you, the very creative Sheila, at sheilascribbles . . . for the dubious honor of the Kreative Blogger Award.  I don't feel very creative, but maybe creativity, as well as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder!    Yesterday I didn't write at all because I just didn't feel like it - I'm sure I'll snap out of it :), so I didn't write anything, let alone anything creative!  But I will play by the rules, which include - -  thanking, ten things, six blogs and notifying my nominees, who, if they choose, may do the same . . . :)

Ten things you never wanted to know about me - - 

1.  I shaved my legs yesterday for the first time in weeks and they feel great!
2.  I am missing my Harry.  It's been awhile since I've joined him and the gang in their Hogswarts exploits, and I am starting to go through withdrawals.
3.  My name means "she who praises."
4.  Once my husband drank (yes, drank) some hardcore cough syrup and drove 10 miles past his freeway offramp before he realized it.   I know, not about me, but still . . . 
5.  I have never had a broken bone - - I always felt kind of gypped.
6.  I was fifth grade tetherball champion.
7.  I lived in Pahrump, Nevada for three years.   Ick.
8.  Even though I grew up in Anaheim and have been to Disneyland dozens of times, that is still my favorite vacation destination.
9.  My husband is my one and only love.  
10. My favorite drink is Diet Peach Snapple.

And . . .  my six awesome nominees - - all unique and all worth clicking on their link.

Sherry at Life With A View
Funny In My Mind
a.eye at Shouldn't  Life Be More Than This?
Erin at The Backward Life
Tammy at Homekeeping, Down Syndrome and Autism Stuff
Janice at Janice's Footsteps

Not in the Mood

This is the first time since sometime in March that I have not written a post.  I am just not in the mood :(

Warning : Content is Gross

Disclaimer - this is NOT me!

This will be short.   And I can't believe I'm even telling you.  It's very embarrassing.   But I haven't shaved my legs in about three weeks.  I know.   It's gross.   You see, we have one bathroom.   We have six adults temporarily living in our home (3 adult children and one spouse, plus, of course, me and my husband).   That means six showers a day.   Not to mention Little Boy.   He takes a bath every night.   Our hot water heater tries to keep up.   Sometimes successfully, sometimes not.   I, being the very considerate person that I am, try to get in and out as quickly as possible because I know there is always someone waiting . . . or a dishwasher that needs to be turned on . . . or laundry that needs to be done.   All of this takes water.   Hot water.   So I do the most important things - - like washing hair and body.   And I tell myself that I will come back in later to shave my legs.   Later hasn't happened in three weeks.  It's a good thing I'm not a swimsuit model.

And the only reason I tell you this is because I lay awake a lot of the night thinking about it.   It's just gross.   And really uncomfortable.    I don't know how those European women do it. 

So, tonight I will be selfish.  I will take ten extra minutes in the bathroom . . . and I will shave my legs.   I am woman.  Hear me roar - probably because I feel like a wild animal.

Balloons and Fried Fair Food

It was a beautiful weekend, blue skies and no wind.   This was the view from our backyard early Saturday morning.    Not my feet, although if they were I'd be wearing flip flops all the time :)

I got my fried fair food, although it was really a let down.  I have always wanted those big blocks of french fries they sell, but I am usually watching what I eat so I never get them.  THIS time, however, I am SO not watching what I am eating.  So, with great anticipation, I paid $7.50 and got my humongous glob of french fries and . . . that's really what they were - - just a glob of greasy disgustedness.   They weren't crisp, they were just limp.  Yuk.  I threw them away.  Bye bye $7.50.  So disappointing.  The good news, though - - I will probably never want to get fair food again :)  Not even fried tarantulas.

Stuck In the 70s . . . Not!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am SO GLAD that I'm not the same person that I was in high school!  If time had been frozen in the 70s, I would have died!    I was so shy, and so unsure of myself.   I had no opinions.  No self-confidence.   Not to mention my hair!!!  Yikes!  Have you ever thought of some of the stupid things you did as a teenager?   Sometimes blindly following your friends, or sometimes thoughtlessly leading the pack.  I think we all did silly, stupid things simply because we were young.   Things that, as adults with more experience and knowledge and more brain function, we look back at now and think, "What an idiot!!  What was I thinking??!"   

Well, that's what this life is all about . . . learning and growing and becoming better.   We learn from text books, we learn from life experiences, we learn (hopefully) from our mistakes, we learn from each other.  There shouldn't be a day that goes by that we don't learn . . . something!   Anything!   And then take from those lessons the things that will help us be better, kinder, more compassionate, better citizens, better children, more grateful . . . more happy!

So Yea for growing and learning!!

But now . . . back to the 70s - - the most forgettable time of my existence.   If it weren't for wax lips and Styx, the 70s would have been a complete waste of my time :)

 Anyway, go learn something new today and report back!

Flip Flops

Yesterday when I was listening to the radio and heard the President say he is now for same sex marriage, I started to think of flip flops.   Like the ones you wear on your feet.  Like I see so many women and girls wearing.   Of course, when I was young we used to call them thongs.   That word brings a whole different visual these days.  My husband made the innocent mistake of mentioning my daughter's thongs (he meaning flip flops but still stuck in the 70s, and she thinking the more modern use of the word).  She was horrified that her FATHER would say that to her!    And he bewildered why she was so upset.   Needless to say, we straightened that out right away.  (By the way, no thongs in our house, just flip flops.)

Anyway, I wish I had pretty feet, and toes that didn't look like turnips, so that I could comfortably and self-confidently wear flip flops :)  But even then, I don't like the feel of the strap between my toes, so maybe I wouldn't wear them afterall. 

But still . . . it would be nice to have pretty feet :)

I Don't Need No Stinking French Fries!

So, yesterday I was reading Magical Mystical MiMi's post about her husband's plans to take her to Italy.  Must say, I was a little envious, but I'll try not to dwell on the fact that I've never been anywhere.   At least not anywhere like . . . ITALY!!!!!   Her post DID bring back memories, though.  You know my mind works in strange weird ways.  I thought of a restaurant that friends and I used to go to when I was still single and living in California.  It was an Italian restaurant, in Anaheim, I think.  They had the best spaghetti.  I know.  You can make spaghetti at home, why order it when you go out?  That was my thought, too.  But, it was THE best spaghetti . . . AND . . . they served french fries with it!  Why, I don't know.  But it was a big huge plate of french fries.   THE best french fries.  I could never quite get the connection, though, between spaghetti and french fries.   But I guess I never really cared, cuz it was so good.

So, thinking about the spaghetti and french fries made me think about this weekend, and the wonderful, amazing, delicious, fat-filled, artery blocking fried foods that will permeate the air at our annual balloon stampede! 

And then I thought about a conversation I had with my sister yesterday - she and her husband are spending Mother's Day weekend in Las Vegas . . . just hanging out, going to movies (not shows, but movies), going to the all-you-can-eat at the Rio (my favorite), and just being together.   That was her Mother's Day wish.   And, again, I was a little envious. 

But then I remembered that today is my son's 23rd birthday.  And I thought about 23 years ago, at 1:15 p.m. (pacific time), and the way my life changed.  And all of a sudden I didn't need Italy, or spaghetti and french fries, or Las Vegas.   I remembered how perfectly blessed I am with a perfectly imperfect family who loves each other.   And nothing is better than that!  

Arrivederci Italy!   Au revoir, french fries!   No te necessito!

Happy Birthday TBL!!

Little Boy Gone Wild

So, some of you may remember "little boy."   The 6 year old who goes to my husband's school - the 6 year old whose mother is drugged up and doesn't want any of her children - the 6 year old who was living with his father when father was arrested for alcohol/drug related charges, was released from jail and promptly and very unexpectedly dropped dead on a street corner.   The 6 year old who was put in a foster home with five other boys, all older, and whose foster mother spoke very little English.  The 6 year old who we brought into our home to stay with us until the end of the school year because we wanted him to have a few happy months before he left to live with family out of state.   THAT 6 year old boy.  

Well, THAT 6 year old threw a shoe at me the other day!    He gets mad when he doesn't get his way, and since I am frequently the one to tell him to clean up his room, or "don't do that" or just plain trying to get him to behave properly, I am the object of his "affection."   And not only does he throw things at me (well, he threw a shoe at me once), he "tattle tales" on me to my husband - haha!   The other night he had the nerve to tell me that "Mr. L is going to have a talk with you about what you said to me" - said in that snarky kind of snotty way.  He is disrespectful and disobedient - - to me.   He is rather good at manipulating, and, fortunately, I am even better at figuring it out.   He doesn't usually treat me badly in front of my husband.   He did, however, do it in front of my husband's mother!   Wrong move, kid.  He lies, too.   We never know when he is telling the truth, thus, in our eyes he never tells the truth.  Last night he was tired, and had a little cold, and had a fit when he was told that he couldn't go bike riding.  I gave him a choice of eating dinner or going to bed.   At dinner he told Mr. L that I was mean and that I had something mean to him.  

My husband has the patience of Job.  Wish I did.  I am having a hard time remembering he is only 6 years old and that he's been through a lot for his young little life.  He is fine 75% of the time . . . it's the other 25% of the time that I have a difficult time with and, to be honest, I feel something like a failure.    

And to be honest again, I can't wait til the end of the school year.  And for that I feel really bad.

Reflecting on A to Z Challenge

The A to Z was good to me last month, so I feel the need to repay the challenge hosts by "reflecting" on my experience.    I don't do "reflect" very well, but I will say that after being encouraged by a veteran A to Z'er friend to participate, I am so glad I did!    My posts are usually all over the place because I am . . . well . . . random.   But choosing a theme and knowing what I was going to write about for the entire month was kind of refreshing and I found ideas flowing pretty readily through my brain :)  I wrote most of my posts well in advance so that I could spend more time perusing the other A to Z'ers.

I loved meeting so many new bloggers and now have an entire library of bloggers that I follow!   I didn't get to all of the blogs - I was pretty random about that as well.   I tried to get to at least 20 per day, but in no particular order.  I, as many of you, will continue to explore the other blogs that I didn't have time to read last month.

I will definitely do this again!!  As a matter of fact, I look forward to it!!

Thank you A to Z hosts and bloggers!!!

  

Balloon Stroll

The annual Walla Walla Balloon Stampede is coming up this weekend. It's always kind of a fun time here in the big city.  Lots of people come to town, the fairgrounds come alive with . . . what else? . . . creepy fair workers and fried fair food!   My husband and children do the 5k run.  I take pictures.   We cross our fingers that there is no wind and no rain.  And then we get up early in the morning on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to watch the lift off.   If we're feeling lazy (which, I will admit, I sometimes feel), we stand in our backyard in our pjs and watch the balloons go overhead.   On a perfect day, the sight is beautiful.  

I know at least one of you is from New Mexico.   Albuquerque - home of the International Balloon Fiesta.  I've never seen it in person, but this is a pictoral depiction - -

BEAUTIFUL!

This is a pictoral depiction of our Walla Walla Balloon Stampede -

                                    Hmmm.

So, I'm thinking that maybe "stampede" is a little misleading.  Maybe it's more of a "stroll" - through the sky.    It IS beautiful, though, this balloon stroll of ours.  

Edith!!!!!

So yesterday morning I was putting my tennis shoes on and I realized that I am Archie Bunker.  Yes, I do one foot at a time - sock and shoe, then the other foot.   All I need is a lazy boy recliner and a cigar.


Happy Sabbath Day!     

Party Pooper - I'll Be Back

I've had exciting (okay, "exciting" is a relative term) things happen the last two days, and I mentioned that these kinds of things come in threes . . . they do, right??  

Well, funnyinmymind was quite the little party pooper yesterday by pronouncing that it's death and plane crashes that come in threes!    Downer.  And, by the way, the mere mention of "party pooper" just now made me think of Arnold Schwartzenegger (whom I dislike now since the whole 'cheat on Maria Shriver with your maid' thing happened) in Kindergarten Cop.  But, I digress (again).   So after the pp comment, I began to second guess myself.  I got anxious and watched over my shoulder, waiting for something bad to happen.  Which really could have happened since I wasn't watching where I was going.  We do have a pretty good mass (again, "mass" being a relative term) transit system here in town.  I could have been hit by a bus while watching over my shoulder for death and plane crashes (thank you very much Ms. funnyinmymind).  But, fortunately, I wasn't - hit by a bus, that is. 

So, maybe THAT is the third exciting thing in a row that has happened to me -  I survived!  I wasn't hit by a bus!   No planes came crashing down on my head.   No escaped gorillas or lions or tigers or bears ripped me to shreds.  AND . . . it's the weekend!   What could be better??! 

Gotta look for the positive in everything!

(By the way, I love funnyinmymind (in spite of the party pooperness).  She is funny in MY mind too! - check her out!!)

No Politics Allowed

Disclaimer:   This is NOT a political post.  I do NOT want to know your political views.  
(Oooh, that sounds kind of rude - - sorry.    I like you all and want you to like me regardless of politics  - insert smiley face here).

Okay, so yesterday Mitt Romney's brother was in our office all day.  He was using a conference room to hold meetings with prospective donors.   I didn't meet him, but I passed by once when the door was open.  I saw him and heard him speak.  He doesn't look much like his brother but his voice was very similar.   (By the way, if President Obama's brother were here (does he have a brother??) I'd be just as interested in seeing him.)   The point being, though, that we are a little place tucked in the southeast corner of Washington - - we don't get many celebrities here.  Even faux celebrities.  Well, I guess that's not exactly true.  Valerie Bertinelli's nephew lives here.  My son went to school with him.   Does that count?   I guess that's kind of like Mitt Romney's brother being here - - not Mitt Romney.   Valerie Bertinelli's nephew - not Valerie Bertinelli.  Oh, and I forgot - - Batman has a house here.   No, not Christian Bale, or Val Kilmer, or Michael Keaton or George Clooney.   The REAL Batman - Adam West.  (I wonder if Robin ever visits?)   And, of course, the famous quarterback Drew Bledsoe grew up here and comes back often.   And I'm sure other famous people or their brothers or nephews have come here because we are kind of famous for our wine and very famous for our onions. 

But, anyway, yesterday was almost as exciting to me as my $15 worth of rewards coupons at Albertson's the other day!    (When you lead a boring life, it doesn't take much to make you happy.) 

Hey!  Don't these kinds of things come in threes?!  

No, I Really DO Need That Chocolate Milk

Finally!   Something good exciting happened (as opposed to bad exciting).   After all this weird stuff and dumb criminals and all, it's about time that something happy occurred. 

In case I've never told you, I hate going to the grocery store.  I hate grocery shopping.   I like eating.  I just hate shopping.   But, in spite of my hatred of all things grocery (well, except for the actual food), I stopped at Albertson's after work yesterday to pick up a few things.  You know, the "few" things that usually turn into a "bunch" of things.   I need milk, but that chocolate milk looks good too - and it's on sale!   I need tomato sauce, but I just can't live without those cookies at the end of the aisle - and they'd go so well with the chocolate milk that I don't need but I'm getting anyway.  It goes like that sometimes, doesn't it?  


So, I am checking out and things are adding up to more than the "few" things that I had planned on.  But, wait!  I have my $5 rewards certificate!    So, I hand that to the cashier, and she swipes it and off comes $5.   And then she swipes it again . . . and off comes another $5.   And then she swipes it again . . .and off comes another $5!   I had not one, not two, but THREE $5 off rewards on that certificate!   So, my "few" things cost me $4.94!  

And that was exciting!   It really doesn't take much to make me happy :)

Stupid Criminals Part II

So the weirdness continues.   Although in this case, I suppose it's more stupidness.  

Our neighbor came over last night to tell us about an incident that happened on our street, a couple of blocks down.

Very early Saturday morning a 5 year old girl went to her parents' bedroom and said, "There's a man in my bedroom."    Silly girl.  The parents,  thinking she was telling stories, sent her back to bed, assuring her that there was no man in her bedroom.  (I may have sent my husband to take a look, but I am trying not to judge.)   A few hours later, the little girl (who was smart enough to go to her sibling's room instead of her own) came into the kitchen and her parents, who were eating breakfast, asked, "Is the man still in your bedroom," thinking they were being funny.  Ha.Ha.  The little girl answered . . . "Yes." 

This time they went and looked.   Imagine their surprise (and horror) when they saw a 19 year old guy passed out on their sweet little girl's bed.   He had been high on drugs and alcohol and broke into their home through a basement window and, apparently finding the perfect bed (not too hard, not too soft - - you get the picture), crashed.   The police came and the idiot kid was arrested and charged with all sorts of things.  And I'm pretty sure the parents went down on their knees praying forgiveness for their stupidity and giving thanks that their little girl wasn't hurt. 

The incident that we experienced that very same night, and the drunken, drug crazed stupid 19 year old down the street are too coincidental, and I am convinced that he was the same idiot kid who came into our home and left all our doors open wide - not to mention a little sampling of his blood.

Several lessons to be learned - - -

1.   Always lock your doors at night, no matter how safe you feel.
2.   When your 5 year old tells you that a strange man is in her bed, GO TAKE A LOOK!!
3.   Ghosts DON'T ride long boards (although I'm still not convinced about that one).

And, maybe most important,

3.  DON'T BE AN IDIOT!!!   DON'T DO DRUGS AND/OR ALCOHOL!   THEY MAKE YOU STUPID!!!

By the way, I don't feel so bad about my dog Izzy not barking when idiot criminal came in our house that same night because apparently even while stupid drunk was plopping down on 5 year old's bed, their dog slept soundly on the floor, mere feet away :)

Stupid Criminals

Okay, new month . . . new craziness.   Although, technically, since today is May 1, this craziness happened last month.  Here's the story . . .

We woke up the other morning to find our front door wide open, our back door wide open, and our backyard gate wide open.  The air conditioner was turned down to 62.   We keep it at 72 with strict orders NOT TO TOUCH IT!!   Freaky weird.  And extremely cold.  All of our children were home and nobody heard a thing.  Not even our dog.  Not a peep.  Not a creak of the door.  Nada.  Although, personally, I think Izzy (dog) may have heard something as she was growling all night long.   I just thought that she was hearing people going in and out of the bathroom all night - - seven people sharing one bathroom, and said bathroom is across the hall from our bedroom where we and our dog sleep.  Yes, this is the same dog who has been mysteriously found (3 times) whimpering on our dining room table with no clue as to how she got up there - - mystery still unsolved.  But that is a different story. 

So, back to doors open.   My daughter's laptop was right next to the front door.   Not taken.  My son's wallet was on the dining table.  Not touched.  What.a.bunch.of.stupid.criminals.  We found a long board (a long skate board for those of you out of touch with today's lingo) on our front lawn.  And . . .eew gross . . . we found blood on the inside wall near the front door.  I do not even want to know how it got there.

After checking with each of the children, we determined that the doors were most likely left unlocked the night before.  What.a.bunch.of.stupid.people.   We live in a very safe neighborhood, but still . . . LOCK THE DOORS!!!

The police came and wrote a "suspicious activities" report and told us to do whatever we wanted with the long board - - throw it away, keep it, put it on the front lawn with a "you forgot something" note.  It's in our garage - - those inept criminals will never see it again.  So, we got a long board out of the incident, which is more than the intruders got, judging from the blood on the wall.   But the whole thing did get me thinking about Izzy and the suspicous dining table incidents.

Do ghosts ride long boards?    Just wondering.