Answers

I gotta be honest with you guys ... I am really struggling to find things to blog about lately. And by "lately", I mean the past six months or so. And by "things", I mean anything that won't put people in coma from boredom. When you find yourself relieved that its Tuesday, and a self-portrait challenge is due, and therefore there's no need to be witty or clever or original, then perhaps it's time to re-evaluate your own blogging abilities. For me, this blog started out as a Caringbridge page; a personal journey through pediatric cancer .... and then evolved into a family blog ... which quite frankly, probably isn't that fascinating to anyone except my mother. My kids aren't little, they don't do cute and funny things on a regular, reliable basis anymore, and if I post one more time about woe-is-me-I'm-an-overweight-PTO-mom-who-is-tired-of-volunteering, I'll have to poke MYSELF in the eye with a sharp stick.

When you realize you're boring even yourself, perhaps it's time to re-group.

So in the meantime, I'm going to do what I do when I can't think of anything worth sharing ..... answer comment questions, and hope inspiration strikes soon, before I'm forced to resort to sharing old naked baby photos of myself.

NES asks: Forgive a stupid question - what's a crop?

A "crop" is the term for when a group of scrapbookers get together and work on their albums for any length of time. Sometimes synonymous with "scrap", but not always. For example, you can "scrap" or "crop" with friends; you can "scrap" or "crop" pages for your albums; you can attend a "crop", but you can't attend a "scrap". Hmmm. Wonder if either of those terms are in Websters yet ....

Dto3 asks: Better yet, what's WOOT!?

As far as *I* know, it's a term used when a person is excited about something, like a cheer. Think of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, when she so un-lady-like-ly rooted for a particular horse at the races by rotating her clenched fist in the air in circles, yelling, "Woot! Woot!". You can always go to Urban Dictionary if you need to double-check, because Lord knows I could be wrong.

Stefunk asks: Are you pregnant??

I don't even remember what on earth this was regarding, but I can answer with a resounding "Hell to the no".

Anonymous says: Ok.....I am clueless. What on earth is trash can punch?

OK, anonymous, I know you're only staying anonymous because you don't want your friends and family to know you're soliciting the recipe for trash can punch, you lush, you. Although, I thought drinking trash can punch was a rite of passage in middle America..... no? Not so much? Well, it's basically a ghastly concoction of fruit punch and alcohol --- typically everclear, vodka, or rum. In a nutshell, it's disgusting. I think it's called "trash can" punch because you normally mix it up in large quantities to serve at parties. Or at least you DID, before all the women of the world had to be suspicious of drinking anything prepared by strangers at a party.

However, if you're looking for a much more festive way to deliver a trash-can punch-type drink, do what we used to do (Mom, close your eyes.....) Buy a large watermelon. Cut a small hole in it. Buy one bottle of everclear or vodka, take the cap off, and insert neck of bottle upside down into the hole. Let sit for 24 hours. The booze will soak into the watermelon .... slice and serve at your next party. Viola!! It's the red neck way to get your liquor and vitamin C, all in one package!! Yee-ha!

And now, the fact that I've been able to type two very long paragraphs about trashcan punch and watermelon vodka leads me to my next blog post, titled "The time I checked into rehab".

Alison states: Also, "The Secret Life of Bees"--do you plan on seeing the movie once you finish reading? I loved that book, but have yet to see the movie.

Alison, I actually rented it a few weeks ago with Brayden, when we had a Mommy-and-Me movie night at home. We both enjoyed it very much.

Lisa L asks: Thank you!!! But just one question re: the meatballs...sweet chili sauce, or regular (hot) chili sauce? :)

Um, I'm assuming this is in reference to my crockpot meatball recipe. Clearly I should answer questions in a more timely fashion so I would know these things. Its definitely sweet chili sauce..... nobody in our house does spicy because we are all a bunch of weenies.

Gina gave a very helpful explanation regarding brain tumors and ended with: I hope that makes sense and I didn't confuse you any more...my intentions are good.

Gina, I don't know that I ever got around to saying thank you to you for this information. It made perfect sense and helped me to understand more clearly exactly what the doctors were saying. So, thank you.

Lollyblogger mentions: Third, Have you and Blaine ever thought about making a road trip to MD Anderson in Houston? He seems like a unique case that they would have interest in, and they are the BEST in the world. My husband did his surgical fellowship there, and it's quite a place.

Lollyblogger, Blaine has never been to MD Anderson for an oncology consult, but the Air Force did send him there back when we were researching his options for reconstructive surgery. (Right after they sent him to the breast reconstruction doctor at Emory and I made jokes about him winding up with a big nipple on his head.) As luck would have it, he flew to Texas for a consultation, and the doctor he was to see had a wife who went into labor the day of Blaine's appointment. So while it appears for now things are being handled well locally (and how fabulous it is that he no longer has to travel five hours round trip for every single doctor's visit!) it's good to know the Air Force would consider MD Anderson again if need be. But selfishly, I'm crossing my fingers there is no "need be".

Bridget from Canada wants to know: ..Just out of curiosity who is taking these SPT someone in the family or a timer? Cause they have all been really good.

Bridget, thanks. A few have been me with a timer, but my camera is too heavy for me to hold up with one little dainty butterfly hand. Plus I don't have the coordination to turn the zoom lens, hit the auto-focus button, then press and release the shutter all with one hand. I've borrowed Brayden's little point and shoot a few times, but most of the photos have been taken by my kids.

And for the record, I *did* last week's SPT "Gift a Friend" In fact, I wrote up this great (well, in my own mind, anyway) post about being a princess, growing up in an all-prince world, and how even princesses have to kiss a lot of friendship frogs before they find other princess friends they really and truly connect with. I have a group of them, sadly, scattered all over the country, and one of them turned 29 (ahem) last week and I gifted her with a drive to Dallas to take her out for brunch for her birthday. (And I gifted her with the coolest pink peace-sign purse, too, but since we're not supposed to spend money of our gifts, I guess that part of the visit is ineligible.) Anyway, I felt weird posting something the day after I got news of Thalon's passing, then just a few days later the friend I wrote about in the post lost her father in law very unexpectedly, and I felt weird posting about her, too.

So in a nutshell, the point of the post is ladies, if you have one or two or five or ten friends who you can really, truly count on in a pinch, who make you laugh and listen to you bitch and care about your family and cheer for you all the same, hang on to them. For dear life. Because the older I get, and the more I've traveled around the country with Blaine, the more I'm learning that there are some psycho FREAKS out there to be avoided at all costs, and true friends are to be cherished.