1. Big changes coming. Thanks to people willing to help (shout out to Scott in Utah!) and the beauty of independent web design ......
2. Honest mistake on the credit card. I had put the wrong card in the ATM machine and when I entered the {wrong} pin number, it flagged my account as suspicious. I appreciate the vigilance of my credit card company, but it would have been good to know I had been flagged, and deemed unable to use my card, **BEFORE** I was standing in the check out line of the commissary with $690 in groceries. That's all I'm saying.
3. The contractor never showed on Thursday. Two thumbs down. But he called on Friday and apologized, and said he would start on Saturday. Two thumbs up. He never showed up on Saturday. Two thumbs down. But he called on Saturday night and apologized and said he would start on Monday. I'll wait until tomorrow morning to see if I should give another two thumbs up. Or not.
4. Camera started working again just as mysteriously as it quit working. Bizarre. Frustrating. Worrisome. I am helping to photograph the 2nd annual "Go, Mitch, Go" Golf Tournament Fundraiser tomorrow and it will be BEYOND embarrassing if my auto-focus simply quits in the middle of the tournament.
And in other news .....
5. I was able to spend some of this weekend scrapbooking with a group of ladies at a local church. It was a lot of fun and there was chocolate and all was well. I stayed up until 2:30 am organizing my photos, in preparation for my annual get-away this upcoming weekend, and then realized the only place left to sleep was in the sanctuary. On a pew. And my body is wider than a church pew, I discovered. So if sleeping in the sanctuary, on a pew, during a scrapbooking getaway, isn't sacrilegious enough, I'm pretty sure cursing when you get a cramp in your leg at 4am is.
UPDATED TO ADD:
6. "Account Unavailable
Your account is temporarily unavailable due to site maintenance. It should be available again within a few hours. We apologize for the inconvenience." .... the status of my Facebook account. Going on 24 hours now. Clearly, *my* definition of "a few hours" is not the same as Facebook's definition!
Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Misc. Show all posts
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Thursday, October 01, 2009
A freakin' awesome day
1. I made it as far as step ONE in fixing my blog before running into a glitch and having to ask for more help.
2. My credit card was declined at the grocery store today.
3. The contractor cashed our $1000.00 deposit check and then never showed up to work today, nor did anyone in his office answer the phone all day, nor did anyone return our calls.
4. Half-way through Kellen's football game tonight, the auto-focus on my camera quit working.
So, you got anything? Anything at all you'd like to throw at me? Locusts? Famine? Plague? Because really, the mood I'm in, I can take it.
Bring it on.
2. My credit card was declined at the grocery store today.
3. The contractor cashed our $1000.00 deposit check and then never showed up to work today, nor did anyone in his office answer the phone all day, nor did anyone return our calls.
4. Half-way through Kellen's football game tonight, the auto-focus on my camera quit working.
So, you got anything? Anything at all you'd like to throw at me? Locusts? Famine? Plague? Because really, the mood I'm in, I can take it.
Bring it on.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Raindrops on Roses and Girls in White Dresses
Really, Julie Andrews is pretty much the antidote for anything, isn't she? This might be old news to some of you, but Blaine and I just discovered it and have watched it at least ten times today. I don't care if you're feeling a little blue, you can't help but watch this and smile.
And if I'm ever in a train station and somebody busts out with this, it will be pretty much the best day of my life.
Julie Andrews in a Train Station.
And if I'm ever in a train station and somebody busts out with this, it will be pretty much the best day of my life.
Julie Andrews in a Train Station.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Our weekend, in numbers:
3 -- numbers of stores I had to go to, to complete our back-to-school shopping lists. Because neither Target nor Staples had refill packages of wide-ruled notebook paper. The heck? That's like running out of number 2 pencils, or paperclips .... not acceptable.
17 -- number of times I complained about the current state of young miss fashions. Because a year or two ago, when all the girls' fashions were of midriff tops, shortened to show off my daughter's mid-section, I did not like it. She was not a hooker then and we did not want her going to school half exposed. This year, she is still not a hooker. So although girls' shirts are plenty long now, can someone explain to me why they must be so fitted? As in, curve-hugging, skin-tight, why-hello-every-line-of-your-undergarments tight? And please don't suggest layering .... three layers of skin tight clothes are still skin tight. And she is still not a hooker. And I griped about it in 17 different dressing rooms.
1, 3, 5, and 7 -- The sizes of clothes that are either too small, or too big, or BOTH, for Brayden in the juniors department. Clearly I need advice from the moms (or dads) of girls who are slightly older and slightly bigger than Brayden. She is fast approaching the day that the pants, shorts, and skirts in the kids section no longer fit, and the size she currently needs is not always on the rack. So we made our first foray into the Junior Department this year ::weep, weep:: I so don't understand. We found 3's that were too small, and 3's that were too big. 5's that were too small, and 5's that were too big. 7's that were too small; most 7's were too big. Almost all pairs were so low-rise that when she would sit down they would gap out the back and her crack would show. Thank the good Lord above that SHE refuses to wear them that way. In the meantime, I guess she'll be like her mother and buy lots of elastic waist sports clothing. Thankfully, NOT like me, they still look cute on her and she won't have to fend off questions about whether or not she is pregnant.
1,742 -- The number of dollars I spent on fresh fruit this weekend, only for Kellen to tell me he wants to take a break from smoothies.
2 --The number of trips it took to Home Depot before Blaine bought the correct color toilet seats for our bathrooms.
1 -- number of dead animals found laying in the road in front of our house.
1 - number of times my bed was wet in this weekend, by someone sleeping
1 - number of times it was an animal and not a human
1 - number of times I wondered if that was normal or if I should call the vet
3 - number of loads of laundry it caused
2 - number of hours I was in church this evening helping set up for a breakfast before I realized my t-shirt had a bad word on it.
83 -- number on the scale at Kellen's football weigh-in
many numbers above 83 - numbers of his team mates
358,389,177,893,859,373,420 - number of cockroaches our renter left in our house when she moved out. At least according to Blaine, because I am FORBIDDEN (his word, not mine) from going in the house because he swears I would have a heart attack and die and fall to the floor and the (*#$(#*)$* roaches would carry my body to their den and eat me.
120 - number of photos of Kellen I took for my photography class this week. (And yes, I will be sharing them with you, because this apparently *IS* turning into a photo blog ... which is what happens when I have nothing else to blog about. Well, photos, and dumb lists like this.)
17 -- number of times I complained about the current state of young miss fashions. Because a year or two ago, when all the girls' fashions were of midriff tops, shortened to show off my daughter's mid-section, I did not like it. She was not a hooker then and we did not want her going to school half exposed. This year, she is still not a hooker. So although girls' shirts are plenty long now, can someone explain to me why they must be so fitted? As in, curve-hugging, skin-tight, why-hello-every-line-of-your-undergarments tight? And please don't suggest layering .... three layers of skin tight clothes are still skin tight. And she is still not a hooker. And I griped about it in 17 different dressing rooms.
1, 3, 5, and 7 -- The sizes of clothes that are either too small, or too big, or BOTH, for Brayden in the juniors department. Clearly I need advice from the moms (or dads) of girls who are slightly older and slightly bigger than Brayden. She is fast approaching the day that the pants, shorts, and skirts in the kids section no longer fit, and the size she currently needs is not always on the rack. So we made our first foray into the Junior Department this year ::weep, weep:: I so don't understand. We found 3's that were too small, and 3's that were too big. 5's that were too small, and 5's that were too big. 7's that were too small; most 7's were too big. Almost all pairs were so low-rise that when she would sit down they would gap out the back and her crack would show. Thank the good Lord above that SHE refuses to wear them that way. In the meantime, I guess she'll be like her mother and buy lots of elastic waist sports clothing. Thankfully, NOT like me, they still look cute on her and she won't have to fend off questions about whether or not she is pregnant.
1,742 -- The number of dollars I spent on fresh fruit this weekend, only for Kellen to tell me he wants to take a break from smoothies.
2 --The number of trips it took to Home Depot before Blaine bought the correct color toilet seats for our bathrooms.
1 -- number of dead animals found laying in the road in front of our house.
1 - number of times my bed was wet in this weekend, by someone sleeping
1 - number of times it was an animal and not a human
1 - number of times I wondered if that was normal or if I should call the vet
3 - number of loads of laundry it caused
2 - number of hours I was in church this evening helping set up for a breakfast before I realized my t-shirt had a bad word on it.
83 -- number on the scale at Kellen's football weigh-in
many numbers above 83 - numbers of his team mates
358,389,177,893,859,373,420 - number of cockroaches our renter left in our house when she moved out. At least according to Blaine, because I am FORBIDDEN (his word, not mine) from going in the house because he swears I would have a heart attack and die and fall to the floor and the (*#$(#*)$* roaches would carry my body to their den and eat me.
120 - number of photos of Kellen I took for my photography class this week. (And yes, I will be sharing them with you, because this apparently *IS* turning into a photo blog ... which is what happens when I have nothing else to blog about. Well, photos, and dumb lists like this.)
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
I'm sorry, who?
I was doing some business late last week with a company and had a need to call customer service. I spoke with a customer service representative named "Margie" who explained that I needed to fill out a customer service form and return some information that way. She said she would e-mail me the form, and I could e-mail it back. That was on Friday, and although I am freakishly obsessed with e-mail and check it nonstop checked periodically, the e-mail never came.
I was a little annoyed, but you know, these things happen. So first thing Monday morning, I called back and asked for the form to be sent to me again. I spoke with the same CSR, Margie, who assured me she sent it. (yeah, right) She confirmed my e-mail address and promised it would be sent again before the end of the day.
That night, I checked my e-mail program again .... not there.
At this point I was starting to get a little cranky. Don't tell me you're going to do something, especially something as simple as sending an e-mail, and then not do it.
This morning I was all set to call one final time and if needed, be a little more assertive to get my point across. I mean, come on. It's a freaking e-mail, Margie, how difficult can it be to hit the "send" button??? But because I have a history of putting my foot in my mouth, I thought I should check my e-mail boxes one final time before calling.
Inbox: Nope, not there.
Spam: Nope, not there.
Every single various sub-folder on my system: Not there.
And then, just to be on the safe side, I went to my Deleted E-mail folder and sorted alphabetically by sender's name, looking for Margie.
Guess what?
There were two e-mails, sent three days apart, BOTH OF WHICH I had deleted without opening. Want to know why? Because they were sent, with no subject line, with attachments.
From MARGE SIMPSON.
I totally thought it was a joke, or a virus, and had deleted them both without reading them. And because I delete so much stuff without opening it, it didn't even register what I had done, and I forgot about it the second they were gone.
Geez, was I ever relieved I didn't call her back to complain.
What a doofus. (Me, not Margie.)
I was a little annoyed, but you know, these things happen. So first thing Monday morning, I called back and asked for the form to be sent to me again. I spoke with the same CSR, Margie, who assured me she sent it. (yeah, right) She confirmed my e-mail address and promised it would be sent again before the end of the day.
That night, I checked my e-mail program again .... not there.
At this point I was starting to get a little cranky. Don't tell me you're going to do something, especially something as simple as sending an e-mail, and then not do it.
This morning I was all set to call one final time and if needed, be a little more assertive to get my point across. I mean, come on. It's a freaking e-mail, Margie, how difficult can it be to hit the "send" button??? But because I have a history of putting my foot in my mouth, I thought I should check my e-mail boxes one final time before calling.
Inbox: Nope, not there.
Spam: Nope, not there.
Every single various sub-folder on my system: Not there.
And then, just to be on the safe side, I went to my Deleted E-mail folder and sorted alphabetically by sender's name, looking for Margie.
Guess what?
There were two e-mails, sent three days apart, BOTH OF WHICH I had deleted without opening. Want to know why? Because they were sent, with no subject line, with attachments.
From MARGE SIMPSON.
I totally thought it was a joke, or a virus, and had deleted them both without reading them. And because I delete so much stuff without opening it, it didn't even register what I had done, and I forgot about it the second they were gone.
Geez, was I ever relieved I didn't call her back to complain.
What a doofus. (Me, not Margie.)
Monday, August 03, 2009
Sadder ...
Not sure which is sadder ...
That I've had "update blog" on my to-do list since last Thursday and haven't done it ...
Or the fact I haven't done it because I can't think of a darn thing to write about.
I went grocery shopping today.
I was late for book club tonight.
Kellen lost one of his brand-new football gloves the first night he wore them.
We are shopping for school supplies tomorrow.
See? See what an exciting life I lead??
Try not to be too jealous.
That I've had "update blog" on my to-do list since last Thursday and haven't done it ...
Or the fact I haven't done it because I can't think of a darn thing to write about.
I went grocery shopping today.
I was late for book club tonight.
Kellen lost one of his brand-new football gloves the first night he wore them.
We are shopping for school supplies tomorrow.
See? See what an exciting life I lead??
Try not to be too jealous.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Nothing
Ideas I've had to blog about this week.
Photos I took for Tuesday's self-portrait challenge.
What I've got.
Suggestions, anyone? Because this is pretty much the lamest blog entry ever.
Photos I took for Tuesday's self-portrait challenge.
What I've got.
Suggestions, anyone? Because this is pretty much the lamest blog entry ever.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
My Pet Scan
Kellen: "Mom, have you seen my pet scan?"
Me: "What?"
Kellen: "Have you seen my pet scan?"
Me: "What are you talking about?"
Kellen: "Have you seen my pet scan? We watched it at school the other day. It was really good."
Me: "You watched your PET SCAN at school? You've never even had a pet scan."
Kellen: "I said, HAVE YOU SEEN PRINCE CASPIAN????"
Clearly, my brain doesn't work quite like other people's.
******************************************************
PS. The team mom e-mailed to let us know we would, in fact, NOT be taking a break between seasons, and practice would take place as normal next week. I e-mailed HER back to let her know, in fact, that we would NOT be there.
Me: "What?"
Kellen: "Have you seen my pet scan?"
Me: "What are you talking about?"
Kellen: "Have you seen my pet scan? We watched it at school the other day. It was really good."
Me: "You watched your PET SCAN at school? You've never even had a pet scan."
Kellen: "I said, HAVE YOU SEEN PRINCE CASPIAN????"
Clearly, my brain doesn't work quite like other people's.
******************************************************
PS. The team mom e-mailed to let us know we would, in fact, NOT be taking a break between seasons, and practice would take place as normal next week. I e-mailed HER back to let her know, in fact, that we would NOT be there.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
My favorite
So I've been sitting at the computer this afternoon going through the photos I took at the soccer tournament last weekend in Arkansas -- yes, I realize it's been a week since we got home and no I hadn't even looked at the photos yet I don't know why its taken a week when I'm normally so anal about photos but I'm sure I've been very very very very busy doing other things like holding the sofa down with my bottom and bemoaning the fact my dvr cut off Adam's performance on American Idol this week and complaining that although Target FINALLY opened up after sustaining tornado damage that they've moved everything in the store and why oh why is home decor right next to automotive what genius thought THAT bit of ergonomic-failure up and .... wait. What was I saying? Oh, yes. Its taken me a week to look at these photos, just shut up about it, I lead a very fulfilling life.
I took over 700 pictures that weekend. Without a doubt, this is one of my favorites:
I'm not sure if it's because he's so long-legged and thin that he goes knock-kneed when he bends over to pick up the ball, or because despite the fact it was only 30 degrees we forgot to bring anything to cover up those stick legs, or because he's eleven years old and clearly doesn't know how to pull the stocking cap down on his head properly, which just cracks me up. 7-11 robbery, anyone???
But I love this photo.
I hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday tomorrow. We are attending church as a family (the whining and complaining about having to wear a dress has already started, three guesses which kid) then having Easter lunch and egg coloring and hunts tomorrow afternoon at my sisters. Without a doubt, I'll be slipping an extra chocolate bunny in above-child's Easter basket in the hopes of putting some meat on those legs.
I took over 700 pictures that weekend. Without a doubt, this is one of my favorites:
I'm not sure if it's because he's so long-legged and thin that he goes knock-kneed when he bends over to pick up the ball, or because despite the fact it was only 30 degrees we forgot to bring anything to cover up those stick legs, or because he's eleven years old and clearly doesn't know how to pull the stocking cap down on his head properly, which just cracks me up. 7-11 robbery, anyone???
But I love this photo.
I hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday tomorrow. We are attending church as a family (the whining and complaining about having to wear a dress has already started, three guesses which kid) then having Easter lunch and egg coloring and hunts tomorrow afternoon at my sisters. Without a doubt, I'll be slipping an extra chocolate bunny in above-child's Easter basket in the hopes of putting some meat on those legs.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Nothing
This is a post about nothing.
Because that's pretty much what I've been doing lately.
Oh, I don't mean I've been doing "nothing" .... no, quite the contrary. I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. It's just that I've been doing NOTHING interesting enough to write about here.
To recap:
I spent an entire day grocery shopping (remember, I only go once a month, so buying 30-days worth of life's essentials like Cheese Nips and Cinnamon Toast Crunch can take a while ....) BUT! I saved $55.32 in coupons --- not too shabby, if I say so myself.
I got my windshield replaced. (snore)
I got highlights and a haircut. (interesting to me, but not to anyone else.)
I'm getting a collision appraisal from that time in January I backed up into a truck in a parking lot.
I've had the same load of laundry in the washing machine for three days now and I keep having to re-wash it every morning to get rid of that musty smell yet can I remember to put it in the dryer? No, no I cannot. And on this topic, does anyone have any laundry detergent suggestions that will make my clothes smell clothes-line fresh?
See? See how low I've resorted? A blog post asking for laundry detergent recommendations???
Kellen and I are traveling to Arkansas for a soccer tournament this weekend. Maybe I'll get lucky and something exciting and funny and blog-worthy will happen while I'm there. Although it better not be car-related. Because I've got a new windshield and if somebody flings a rock at me on the highway and chips it, I'm going to be extremely annoyed.
The end.
Because that's pretty much what I've been doing lately.
Oh, I don't mean I've been doing "nothing" .... no, quite the contrary. I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. It's just that I've been doing NOTHING interesting enough to write about here.
To recap:
I spent an entire day grocery shopping (remember, I only go once a month, so buying 30-days worth of life's essentials like Cheese Nips and Cinnamon Toast Crunch can take a while ....) BUT! I saved $55.32 in coupons --- not too shabby, if I say so myself.
I got my windshield replaced. (snore)
I got highlights and a haircut. (interesting to me, but not to anyone else.)
I'm getting a collision appraisal from that time in January I backed up into a truck in a parking lot.
I've had the same load of laundry in the washing machine for three days now and I keep having to re-wash it every morning to get rid of that musty smell yet can I remember to put it in the dryer? No, no I cannot. And on this topic, does anyone have any laundry detergent suggestions that will make my clothes smell clothes-line fresh?
See? See how low I've resorted? A blog post asking for laundry detergent recommendations???
Kellen and I are traveling to Arkansas for a soccer tournament this weekend. Maybe I'll get lucky and something exciting and funny and blog-worthy will happen while I'm there. Although it better not be car-related. Because I've got a new windshield and if somebody flings a rock at me on the highway and chips it, I'm going to be extremely annoyed.
The end.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Green memories
Twenty-three years ago yesterday, I was a hip, happening (in my own mind, anyway) nineteen year old with my own apartment, hosting a St. Patrick's Day party for a few of my closest friends. And co-workers. And anyone else who wanted to show up. I discovered there is no limit to the number of people who can take part in the world's most awesome game of quarters, and that if you pour half a container of green food coloring into a pitcher of beer, it will turn black, not green. I also learned that no amount of diluting in the world ... no matter how many cases of Pearl you go through ... will ever be enough to make the beer turn green.
Twenty-three years ago TODAY, I discovered it really is possible to expel GREEN from every orifice of your body at the same time. And the "new" boyfriend Blaine, who holds back your hair while you are sitting on the toilet, throwing up into the bathtub, is definitely a keeper.
Happy one-day-after St. Patricks Day, honey. Thanks for the memories --- love you!!
PS. Lest anyone think our relationship is not reciprocal, he decided *I* was a keeper a few months later at a friend's 21st birthday party when he threw up Glen Levitt and Cool Ranch Doritos all over my feet and I didn't complain, but instead put him to bed, face down, so he didn't drown.
Man, I miss the 80's.
Twenty-three years ago TODAY, I discovered it really is possible to expel GREEN from every orifice of your body at the same time. And the "new" boyfriend Blaine, who holds back your hair while you are sitting on the toilet, throwing up into the bathtub, is definitely a keeper.
Happy one-day-after St. Patricks Day, honey. Thanks for the memories --- love you!!
PS. Lest anyone think our relationship is not reciprocal, he decided *I* was a keeper a few months later at a friend's 21st birthday party when he threw up Glen Levitt and Cool Ranch Doritos all over my feet and I didn't complain, but instead put him to bed, face down, so he didn't drown.
Man, I miss the 80's.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
I swear, I am losing my mind
My kids had two snow days out of school last week, and Kendrie has been home sick every day this week.
Clearly, these two factors combined have contributed to the fact I am losing my everlasting mind. I started Atkins again, yet have had pizza for dinner four out of the past six nights. Do you think I could be suffering from carb poisoning?
I’ve had to cancel four lunches with friends, but keep waking up in a panic that I’ve simply forgotten to show up.
I had a dream I forgot to make muffins for Bible Study this week, and woke in a panic (yet again) that I had forgotten. Then realized it was only a dream. Then actually forgot to make the damn things.
I went to the store to buy the muffin mixes at the last minute, but forgot to buy the food to cook the dinner I offered to take to a convalescing friend. Thank goodness I realized it a day in advance, so I can go to the store tomorrow, for dinner tomorrow night. Or perhaps I could just take her family some pizza, since I am on a first-name basis with the good folk at Papa Murphys.
I got invited to a crop this Friday night (I KNOW!!! WOOT!!!) and forgot to buy the food I offered to bring when I was at the store forgetting the dinner food at the same time. Obviously, I am suffering from oxygen deprivation at my local grocers.
I bought Blaine's birthday present but forgot to wrap it.
I called to get Kendrie a doctors appointment, couldn’t get in when I wanted, then had to turn around and call back the next day when she wasn’t any better. Probably not the best impression to make on the new pediatrician’s office.
I took Kellen to a birthday party tonight, and despite being 100% positive the parents said to pick him up at 7:30, when I showed up at 7:20 (look at me, woo-hoo, I’m early!) I realized I was the last parent to show up because they actually said 7:00.
My only hope at this point is that because I **suspect** its early-onset senile dementia, that means its really NOT early-onset senile dementia because I think if you have dementia one of the symptoms is that you don’t actually REALIZE you have dementia. So perhaps the fact I totally and completely ACKNOWLEDGE that I’m losing my brain simply means ……
What were we talking about?
Excuse me, I have some muffins to bake.
What the hell day is it?
Clearly, these two factors combined have contributed to the fact I am losing my everlasting mind. I started Atkins again, yet have had pizza for dinner four out of the past six nights. Do you think I could be suffering from carb poisoning?
I’ve had to cancel four lunches with friends, but keep waking up in a panic that I’ve simply forgotten to show up.
I had a dream I forgot to make muffins for Bible Study this week, and woke in a panic (yet again) that I had forgotten. Then realized it was only a dream. Then actually forgot to make the damn things.
I went to the store to buy the muffin mixes at the last minute, but forgot to buy the food to cook the dinner I offered to take to a convalescing friend. Thank goodness I realized it a day in advance, so I can go to the store tomorrow, for dinner tomorrow night. Or perhaps I could just take her family some pizza, since I am on a first-name basis with the good folk at Papa Murphys.
I got invited to a crop this Friday night (I KNOW!!! WOOT!!!) and forgot to buy the food I offered to bring when I was at the store forgetting the dinner food at the same time. Obviously, I am suffering from oxygen deprivation at my local grocers.
I bought Blaine's birthday present but forgot to wrap it.
I called to get Kendrie a doctors appointment, couldn’t get in when I wanted, then had to turn around and call back the next day when she wasn’t any better. Probably not the best impression to make on the new pediatrician’s office.
I took Kellen to a birthday party tonight, and despite being 100% positive the parents said to pick him up at 7:30, when I showed up at 7:20 (look at me, woo-hoo, I’m early!) I realized I was the last parent to show up because they actually said 7:00.
My only hope at this point is that because I **suspect** its early-onset senile dementia, that means its really NOT early-onset senile dementia because I think if you have dementia one of the symptoms is that you don’t actually REALIZE you have dementia. So perhaps the fact I totally and completely ACKNOWLEDGE that I’m losing my brain simply means ……
What were we talking about?
Excuse me, I have some muffins to bake.
What the hell day is it?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
He Said, She Said
Blaine said:
a) "Seriously? All you did was back into someone in a parking lot? That *is* one puny piece of fiberglass."
b) "But that is NOT part of your bumper. That is part of your side panel, which will probably have to be replaced if it can't be pounded out."
c) "I don't think your luck of the Irish story was actually so lucky."
Kristie said:
a) "Shut up"
b) "We should just be thankful that it was only a parked car and the damage is minor and kids weren't with me and no-one was hurt and especially that the person drove away while I was writing the note because you have to admit, that's just funny."
c) "And whatever, you're the person who tried to close the garage door with the back door still open and gave me that big scrape down the back of my hatch-door-thing."
Blaine said:
a) "No, that was you. I did the same thing, yes, I'll admit, a few months later. But the time YOU did it was the time you got the big scrape. And now we'll probably have to pay our deductible to get this thing fixed. Do you need drivers ed?"
Kristie said:
a) "La-la-la!!! Fingers in my ears!! I can't hear you!!!"
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
I would still wear a poodle perm, that's why
I took Kendrie to the orthodontist today (Hello, Phase I! Goodbye, money!) A mom came in with her two teenage daughters and sat down next to us. I noticed the older sister first, simply because she was in the chair next to Kendrie. She was cute, well-dressed, and had to-die-for hair. Long, sleek, shiny, straight. Either she has a very close relationship with a flat-iron, or she is genetically blessed.
Then I noticed her bangs. They were less than an inch long and stuck straight out - literally - from her hairline. The rest of her hair was so long and well-tended that my first thought, honestly, was that some naughty little brother must have gone after her with scissors in her sleep. I mean, no WAY was that NOT an accident!
Then I glanced at the younger sister and her bangs were the same way.
So either this was some kind of weird DNA hair mutation, or bizarrely short bangs, at a 90 degree angle to one's face, is all the rage for 2009.
Anyone care to enlighten me? I've been trying to grow my bangs OUT for the past year ... don't tell me it's time to chop them again!
Then I noticed her bangs. They were less than an inch long and stuck straight out - literally - from her hairline. The rest of her hair was so long and well-tended that my first thought, honestly, was that some naughty little brother must have gone after her with scissors in her sleep. I mean, no WAY was that NOT an accident!
Then I glanced at the younger sister and her bangs were the same way.
So either this was some kind of weird DNA hair mutation, or bizarrely short bangs, at a 90 degree angle to one's face, is all the rage for 2009.
Anyone care to enlighten me? I've been trying to grow my bangs OUT for the past year ... don't tell me it's time to chop them again!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sharing the love
Go here.
Dad Gone Mad.
Read the Dec 11th post.
Awesome idea.
Share the love.
Over and out. I have commenting to do.
Dad Gone Mad.
Read the Dec 11th post.
Awesome idea.
Share the love.
Over and out. I have commenting to do.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Nothing.
I was going to post today about how I'm honestly not sure which store I love more: Office Depot, Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, or Garden Ridge Pottery, all of which I spent time in today, single-handedly revitalizing our nation's economy, and the happy feeling I got as I made each of my purchases.
Then I realized that was boring.
So then I was going to post about the feeling of utter contentment I got today as I ordered my Diet Dr. Pepper from Sonic, and as I drove away, the sun was shining warmly into my car and Josh Groban's Ave Maria was playing in my stereo and a sense of total well-being flooded through me ... and then my stomach started growling and I remember that I skipped breakfast, which pretty much ruined the mood.
But I realized that was boring, too.
So then I was going to post about the TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE (!!!) that occurred when I ordered my favorite sandwich from my favorite sandwich shop for lunch (ham and cheese on white, plain, dry, with swiss instead of provolone and an extra slice of swiss, please) only to be told that they are "phasing out the Swiss". What??? Phasing out swiss cheese??? It's a sandwich shop, for pete's sake, how ridiculous is that? Why don't they just phase out bread while they're at it? Or meat?!?!?!
When it occurred to me that was even more boring than the others.
So basically, I got nothing.
Have a nice day.
Then I realized that was boring.
So then I was going to post about the feeling of utter contentment I got today as I ordered my Diet Dr. Pepper from Sonic, and as I drove away, the sun was shining warmly into my car and Josh Groban's Ave Maria was playing in my stereo and a sense of total well-being flooded through me ... and then my stomach started growling and I remember that I skipped breakfast, which pretty much ruined the mood.
But I realized that was boring, too.
So then I was going to post about the TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE (!!!) that occurred when I ordered my favorite sandwich from my favorite sandwich shop for lunch (ham and cheese on white, plain, dry, with swiss instead of provolone and an extra slice of swiss, please) only to be told that they are "phasing out the Swiss". What??? Phasing out swiss cheese??? It's a sandwich shop, for pete's sake, how ridiculous is that? Why don't they just phase out bread while they're at it? Or meat?!?!?!
When it occurred to me that was even more boring than the others.
So basically, I got nothing.
Have a nice day.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Lazy
So, the first thing I do for Thanksgiving is recycle an old journal entry, and now the second thing I'm going to do is simply post a link. I'd like to blame it on turkey-and-dressing poisoning, causing my brain to atrophy and my creative juices to dry up, but truth be told, I'm just lazy.
Amy, a reader of this blog, recently posted the 100th entry on her own blog titled the "ABC's of Thanksgiving" ..... since I was too lazy to post my own list of thankfulness, she asked me to give her a shout out here, and I figured that would be WAY easier than coming up with something original. :)
So here you go.
Amy, a reader of this blog, recently posted the 100th entry on her own blog titled the "ABC's of Thanksgiving" ..... since I was too lazy to post my own list of thankfulness, she asked me to give her a shout out here, and I figured that would be WAY easier than coming up with something original. :)
So here you go.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Hopeful
I'm hopeful that after the presidential election on Tuesday, I will be pleasantly surprised.
I'm hopeful that if *that* doesn't happen, that I will be pleasantly surprised the next four years.
My concern is that neither of those things will happen.
Comments closed because I am not about to open up a big ole' can of political ugly on this site.
But remember to vote on Tuesday ... and when you're done voting, let that feeling of civic pride carry you a few steps farther, and go donate blood.
I'm hopeful that if *that* doesn't happen, that I will be pleasantly surprised the next four years.
My concern is that neither of those things will happen.
Comments closed because I am not about to open up a big ole' can of political ugly on this site.
But remember to vote on Tuesday ... and when you're done voting, let that feeling of civic pride carry you a few steps farther, and go donate blood.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Bread and Water
Hmmm. I have no good explanation for why some of you see green and some of you see blue. I get green on my desktop, and blue on laptop, yet they are both Dell. It doesn’t seem to be a Mac vs. PC issue, or a browser issue (maybe???) or a green eyes vs blue eyes issue (although that suggestion made me laugh). It’s bizarre, isn’t it? But, since the positive comments outnumbered the negative comments about ten to one, I’m going to leave it as is. (Actually, I’m going to leave it as is because I’m too lazy to dink around with changing it …… )
Now, on to more pressing matters. Like the state of my refrigerator.
The thing you need to know is, we are out of food at our house. Out of food in a yes-I’ll-use-the-heel-of-the-bread-for-toast kind of way. Normally, I go to the grocery store once a month, around the 15th. I make a huge, ginormous, three-carts-full-of-food trek to the commissary, and the pantry is overloaded for a few weeks. But I didn’t go in September because I was just back from the cruise and feeling overwhelmed, plus we had all that meat we had cooked and frozen from when the freezer door was left open, so I figured we were fine for a few weeks. Then I didn’t go on the 1st because I was headed to camp with Kellen, so I just made a quick trip to stock up on milk and bread and toilet paper and cereal, and decided we could manage two more weeks …. It would just require a little creative cooking on my part.
It wasn’t a problem, until yesterday. Yesterday morning we used the last two pieces of bread (yes, the heels) for toast. And I had a huge crockpot full of psuedo-homemade chicken noodle soup** on, so decided I would use my bread maker to make psuedo-homemade bread (because it’s common knowledge you can’t properly eat chicken noodle soup without lots and lots of bread to sop up the juices … no, I have no idea why I have a weight problem.)
So. That gives you the background to my story.
When I got home from taking the kids to piano lessons, Blaine said, “The school called and said Brayden’s lunch account is at zero.”
“That can’t be right,” I replied. “I just put $35 in each of their accounts on the first.”
“Well, that’s what they said.”
“They must have put her money into Kellen or Kendrie’s account by mistake. I’ll go talk to them tomorrow.”
Then I got to thinking …. “Brayden, you know how we told you that once a week you could buy a special lunch from the fast-food vendors? But the rest of the week you have to buy the regular (ie, cheaper) school lunch? Have you bought anything besides fast food? Or have you bought it more than once a week?”
And she said, “Only one time. I bought an extra drink.”
So I turned to Blaine and said, “I’ll go talk to the lunch people tomorrow and ask to see her account. I’m sure they put the money on the wrong account.”
Then Brayden said, sort of hesitantly, “Weeellllll, I *might* have bought some pizza one day. Or maybe two days.”
And I looked at her.
“Oh, *really* ??? And is there anything else I should know about, before I go in there tomorrow and accuse them of messing up their accounting???”
“Well,” she started stammering, “It’s just that everyone else buys a special lunch every day. And I’m the only kid in the entire sixth grade that has to buy a boring plain lunch, and so I bought other stuff like everyone else.”
And basically, she blew through $35 in less than two weeks.
OK, so, not the end of the world, right? I’m sure most kids do this sort of thing when they first get some credit in their possession, and haven’t quite mastered money-management skills. In fact, my nephew did the exact same thing last year when *he* was in sixth grade, and fast food lunches were an option for the first time. So I really wasn’t that upset about it, just resigned to the fact that this is one of life’s little teaching moments, and a good opportunity to educate her about consequence.
“Well, honey, I’m sorry, but if you’ve already spent all the money I put in your lunch account for the month, you’ll have to take your lunch from home the rest of the month. So I suggest you go in there right now and take a look at what you want to make yourself in the morning.”
She replied, hopefully, “Could you go buy me a bunch of Lunchables to take?”
And I sort of laughed as I said, “No, me going to the store and buying you a bunch of stuff to take pretty much defeats the purpose. If you want Lunchables, I'll take you to the store and you can buy them with your own money. Or you can spend your own money at school. Or, you can go through the pantry like a normal person and make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
At which point Blaine so tactfully pointed out …. “Um, we don’t have any bread.”
And I sort of sighed and said, “Fine, then she can make a sandwich with some of the psuedo-homemade bread that will be left-over after dinner. It’ll be a sandwich like Pa Ingalls used to eat, with huge slabs of homemade bread.”
Only …. Well ….. I guess maybe the yeast was outdated or something, because my “light and airy and delicious” loaf of homemade bread was short and squatty and dense as a rock, and had about as much flavor as a rock would have, too.
(sigh)
So last night saw me at our local grocery store, buying bread. And some pretzels. And some Oreos, because my gosh, the girl’s got to take her lunch for two solid weeks, which is a lot by our standards, so I figured a few Oreos wouldn’t hurt.
But I drew the line at Lunchables.
**Recipe for psuedo-homemade chicken noodle soup
Combine in crockpot:
6 oz pkg Wyler’s Mrs. Grass Hearty Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup Mix
1 can Campbell’s double-noodle chicken noodle soup
1 pkg boneless skinless chicken breasts, boiled (baked, whatever) and cut into bite-size pieces
9 cups water
Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours
Now, on to more pressing matters. Like the state of my refrigerator.
The thing you need to know is, we are out of food at our house. Out of food in a yes-I’ll-use-the-heel-of-the-bread-for-toast kind of way. Normally, I go to the grocery store once a month, around the 15th. I make a huge, ginormous, three-carts-full-of-food trek to the commissary, and the pantry is overloaded for a few weeks. But I didn’t go in September because I was just back from the cruise and feeling overwhelmed, plus we had all that meat we had cooked and frozen from when the freezer door was left open, so I figured we were fine for a few weeks. Then I didn’t go on the 1st because I was headed to camp with Kellen, so I just made a quick trip to stock up on milk and bread and toilet paper and cereal, and decided we could manage two more weeks …. It would just require a little creative cooking on my part.
It wasn’t a problem, until yesterday. Yesterday morning we used the last two pieces of bread (yes, the heels) for toast. And I had a huge crockpot full of psuedo-homemade chicken noodle soup** on, so decided I would use my bread maker to make psuedo-homemade bread (because it’s common knowledge you can’t properly eat chicken noodle soup without lots and lots of bread to sop up the juices … no, I have no idea why I have a weight problem.)
So. That gives you the background to my story.
When I got home from taking the kids to piano lessons, Blaine said, “The school called and said Brayden’s lunch account is at zero.”
“That can’t be right,” I replied. “I just put $35 in each of their accounts on the first.”
“Well, that’s what they said.”
“They must have put her money into Kellen or Kendrie’s account by mistake. I’ll go talk to them tomorrow.”
Then I got to thinking …. “Brayden, you know how we told you that once a week you could buy a special lunch from the fast-food vendors? But the rest of the week you have to buy the regular (ie, cheaper) school lunch? Have you bought anything besides fast food? Or have you bought it more than once a week?”
And she said, “Only one time. I bought an extra drink.”
So I turned to Blaine and said, “I’ll go talk to the lunch people tomorrow and ask to see her account. I’m sure they put the money on the wrong account.”
Then Brayden said, sort of hesitantly, “Weeellllll, I *might* have bought some pizza one day. Or maybe two days.”
And I looked at her.
“Oh, *really* ??? And is there anything else I should know about, before I go in there tomorrow and accuse them of messing up their accounting???”
“Well,” she started stammering, “It’s just that everyone else buys a special lunch every day. And I’m the only kid in the entire sixth grade that has to buy a boring plain lunch, and so I bought other stuff like everyone else.”
And basically, she blew through $35 in less than two weeks.
OK, so, not the end of the world, right? I’m sure most kids do this sort of thing when they first get some credit in their possession, and haven’t quite mastered money-management skills. In fact, my nephew did the exact same thing last year when *he* was in sixth grade, and fast food lunches were an option for the first time. So I really wasn’t that upset about it, just resigned to the fact that this is one of life’s little teaching moments, and a good opportunity to educate her about consequence.
“Well, honey, I’m sorry, but if you’ve already spent all the money I put in your lunch account for the month, you’ll have to take your lunch from home the rest of the month. So I suggest you go in there right now and take a look at what you want to make yourself in the morning.”
She replied, hopefully, “Could you go buy me a bunch of Lunchables to take?”
And I sort of laughed as I said, “No, me going to the store and buying you a bunch of stuff to take pretty much defeats the purpose. If you want Lunchables, I'll take you to the store and you can buy them with your own money. Or you can spend your own money at school. Or, you can go through the pantry like a normal person and make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
At which point Blaine so tactfully pointed out …. “Um, we don’t have any bread.”
And I sort of sighed and said, “Fine, then she can make a sandwich with some of the psuedo-homemade bread that will be left-over after dinner. It’ll be a sandwich like Pa Ingalls used to eat, with huge slabs of homemade bread.”
Only …. Well ….. I guess maybe the yeast was outdated or something, because my “light and airy and delicious” loaf of homemade bread was short and squatty and dense as a rock, and had about as much flavor as a rock would have, too.
(sigh)
So last night saw me at our local grocery store, buying bread. And some pretzels. And some Oreos, because my gosh, the girl’s got to take her lunch for two solid weeks, which is a lot by our standards, so I figured a few Oreos wouldn’t hurt.
But I drew the line at Lunchables.
**Recipe for psuedo-homemade chicken noodle soup
Combine in crockpot:
6 oz pkg Wyler’s Mrs. Grass Hearty Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup Mix
1 can Campbell’s double-noodle chicken noodle soup
1 pkg boneless skinless chicken breasts, boiled (baked, whatever) and cut into bite-size pieces
9 cups water
Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours
Monday, October 06, 2008
That’s not what I was upset about
Dear Family Practice Clinic that values my business according to the sign on the wall,
I am writing to let you know I spent a little time in your waiting room today, and perhaps had a sour look on my face, which could probably have been attributed to many things --- but to clarify:
I was not upset about the fact that although your voice mail says your office opens at 8am, that no-one actually answered your phone until 8:17am. I know this to be true because I called every 30 seconds starting at 7:59am. Thank goodness for the redial button.
I was not upset about the fact that once your automated system *finally* picked up my call, it was another ten minutes before I got to talk to a real, live person.
I was not upset about the warning that the wait for a same-day-work-in appointment might be long. I worked for three years in a Family Practice clinic, and I understand what Monday mornings can be like. In fact, considering there was no blood, chest pain, or eye injury involved, I was pretty impressed that you were even willing to give us a same-day appointment at all.
No, really, I wasn’t upset about the first hour we sat in your waiting room because hey, you warned us.
I wasn’t upset about the fact that there were no restrooms attached to your waiting room. I found it odd, but I wasn’t upset about it.
I was perhaps a teensy bit upset about the second hour we sat in your waiting room, especially when I was told that our name had been called half an hour earlier, apparently when we were across the lobby in the bathroom, especially considering we TOLD the receptionist where we were going and she obviously forgot to tell the nurse so our file folder went back to the back of the line.
Whatever.
No, what upset me was the fact that for the entire two hours we were sitting in your waiting room, you left the television turned to a PBS documentary about the life cycle of the poisonous American mushroom, and told us it couldn’t be changed.
Seriously?
Do you really think my nine-year old daughter gives a rat’s ass about mushrooms? Don’t you think it might have been even remotely helpful to have put the television on Disney or Nickelodeon or for goodness’ sake, even the Today Show would have been more interesting. And for a large portion of that time we were the only people *in* the waiting room, so it's not like we would have offended any mushroom-lovers out there.
Mushrooms????
For real???
By the time we were finally put back in an exam room, I wasn’t sure if we should ask you to treat Kendrie’s cough, whatever illness she probably picked up after (no lie) ROLLING AROUND ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR WAITING ROOM IN SHEER BOREDOM, or the wound on the back of my head, from where I had been hitting it against the wall for the last half hour.
Sincerely,
Kristie
PS. For the record, I am normally pretty good about bringing along Gameboys or ipods or for goodness sake, even something as old fashioned as a !!BOOK!! for the kids to read in a waiting room. Two and a half years of pediatric chemo appointments taught me the value of being prepared. This day, however, I honestly didn't expect a same day appointment and was out running errands when the clinic asked if we could get there in 30 minutes (apparently, it was important that we rush there, in order to sit and wait for two hours) and so I dashed by the school and picked Kendrie up without having ANYTHING for her to do. I even offered to read her the "Humor in Uniform" jokes out of the waiting room copies of Readers Digest, I was that freaking desperate.
I am writing to let you know I spent a little time in your waiting room today, and perhaps had a sour look on my face, which could probably have been attributed to many things --- but to clarify:
I was not upset about the fact that although your voice mail says your office opens at 8am, that no-one actually answered your phone until 8:17am. I know this to be true because I called every 30 seconds starting at 7:59am. Thank goodness for the redial button.
I was not upset about the fact that once your automated system *finally* picked up my call, it was another ten minutes before I got to talk to a real, live person.
I was not upset about the warning that the wait for a same-day-work-in appointment might be long. I worked for three years in a Family Practice clinic, and I understand what Monday mornings can be like. In fact, considering there was no blood, chest pain, or eye injury involved, I was pretty impressed that you were even willing to give us a same-day appointment at all.
No, really, I wasn’t upset about the first hour we sat in your waiting room because hey, you warned us.
I wasn’t upset about the fact that there were no restrooms attached to your waiting room. I found it odd, but I wasn’t upset about it.
I was perhaps a teensy bit upset about the second hour we sat in your waiting room, especially when I was told that our name had been called half an hour earlier, apparently when we were across the lobby in the bathroom, especially considering we TOLD the receptionist where we were going and she obviously forgot to tell the nurse so our file folder went back to the back of the line.
Whatever.
No, what upset me was the fact that for the entire two hours we were sitting in your waiting room, you left the television turned to a PBS documentary about the life cycle of the poisonous American mushroom, and told us it couldn’t be changed.
Seriously?
Do you really think my nine-year old daughter gives a rat’s ass about mushrooms? Don’t you think it might have been even remotely helpful to have put the television on Disney or Nickelodeon or for goodness’ sake, even the Today Show would have been more interesting. And for a large portion of that time we were the only people *in* the waiting room, so it's not like we would have offended any mushroom-lovers out there.
Mushrooms????
For real???
By the time we were finally put back in an exam room, I wasn’t sure if we should ask you to treat Kendrie’s cough, whatever illness she probably picked up after (no lie) ROLLING AROUND ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR WAITING ROOM IN SHEER BOREDOM, or the wound on the back of my head, from where I had been hitting it against the wall for the last half hour.
Sincerely,
Kristie
PS. For the record, I am normally pretty good about bringing along Gameboys or ipods or for goodness sake, even something as old fashioned as a !!BOOK!! for the kids to read in a waiting room. Two and a half years of pediatric chemo appointments taught me the value of being prepared. This day, however, I honestly didn't expect a same day appointment and was out running errands when the clinic asked if we could get there in 30 minutes (apparently, it was important that we rush there, in order to sit and wait for two hours) and so I dashed by the school and picked Kendrie up without having ANYTHING for her to do. I even offered to read her the "Humor in Uniform" jokes out of the waiting room copies of Readers Digest, I was that freaking desperate.
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