Suburban Bubble

Grateful, So Very Grateful

2014-11-19T18:35:00.000-08:00

I am grateful. I've always been silently grateful. As I've seen more of the world I am more cognizant of what I have. In particular, I am grateful that I have enough money to be able to fill my gas tank whenever it needs filling. I am so grateful that I have reliable transportation. Without those two things my life would be impossible. Okay, maybe not impossible but it would be extremely difficult. For the past year or so when I go to the pump I think how blessed am I that I don't have to worry about only pumping so much because if I do I might not be able to take care of other expenses. I am also so grateful that my son is still recovering from his traumatic brain injury. Some days are still better than others. Some days I can see the pain in his eyes due to frustration or those evil headaches. It could have been so much worse. That's what I tell myself everyday. Everyday.

Gym Class Hero - NOT (PT 2): I'm On Fire!

2012-06-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, let me start from where I left off yesterday. I now have a trainer. This is my first day and I'm thinking we, the trainer and I, are just going to sit down, get to know one another, have a drink and set some goals. WRONG!

He tells me there will be a very basic workout today so that he knows where I'm coming from. Good Lord I could have told him. I come from nothing. Well that is a little bit of a lie. I do practice yoga.

When he laid out the game plan for today I thought, "No problem." Here is what he had in mind:

5 minutes on the treadmill (warmup), squats, sit-ups, pushups, chin-ups and I'm done.

5 minutes on the treadmill was a piece of cake. I was walking at 3 MPH at a 5% incline. Not bad. I'm feeling good!! Then off to the side of the gym, in full view of everyone. Okay, now I'm nervous. He demonstrates the sit-ups. Legs in butterfly position and all the way back and all the way up. There is a wedge in place to assist at my backside. Only 20 right? Well, 20 felt like 50. It was harder than I thought it would be.

Next up squats. 40 of those. Thank goodness the squats came second on the list. I managed to do those but I think the last...oh...15 were not so good. I'm sure I could have bent my knees a little more but I wanted to be able to stand back upright. My thighs were on fire by the time we got to 10.

Push-ups? I don't think I have ever done a "real" push-up. Ever. This was crazy. 5 push-ups in and my belly drops to the ground as I try to push my body up. I'm sure it was a sight. Kind of like those horses in the pasture that either aren't taken very good care of or they are a little past their prime or both. I did a little better than I thought. Of course they were "girl" push-ups. When he mentioned girl push-ups I was a little bit insulted.

Lastly? OMG the chin-ups. He takes me back into the CrossFit room. Seriously??? I couldn't even finish the warmup from the Insanity program. It's a DVD program I have at home. At home, sitting on the shelf. I thought about getting P90X but then pinched myself before I got sucked into the infomercial. "CrossFit is like P90X on steroids," as the owner explained to me the day before. I couldn't even imagine.

We are back in the CrossFit room and he is demonstrating how to do a proper chin-up on the bar. He rethinks this and breaks out this large rubber band. He loops the band around the bar so that I can use it to help lift me into the air and up above the chin-up bar. He explains that by putting my foot in the center of the band and crossing my other leg over in the front, the band will support me in such a way that I will be able to pull myself up. It just reminded me of a huge archaic sling shot used to launch artillery in time of war. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

"My foot goes where?" Got that squared away and now the other leg crosses over and up I go. I did go up but had absolutely no control over which direction. My leg shot up between his legs. My god how embarrassing! I steady myself and pulled up. I think I even let out a little grunt. My body went nowhere. I came no closer to the top of the chin-up bar. The only thing that was closer to anything was my foot to his crotch. No seriously!

Without a word, he grabs the mother of all rubber bands to help me achieve this goal of getting my chin above the bar. He's not giving up so I guess I shouldn't either. This band is about as long as the conveyer belt at Target and as thick the tires on my car. I drive an Expedition. It has larger than normal tires. It was too much. I almost lost it. Scary thing was I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Now I really have to do it.

He adjusted the belt and moved out of range, in case the thing catapults me into him or into the next room, and I was in business. I managed to crank out 2. Yes, 2. Better than 0.

I went home feeling good even though I was a little sore and embarrassed. The next morning I woke up and thank goodness the bed sits up really high. I used my agility skills then. I had to roll myself off of the bed and onto the floor. I was on my feet, but I didn't think about bending again until going to the bathroom which unfortunately I do every morning.

Somebody was playing a joke on me. Someone had lowered the seat. I had to use my hands on both sides of the seat to help lower me down. Handle bars that the elderly and disabled use really would have come in handy today. Thank goodness I brought my cell phone in with me. Texting or calling for help might be the only option for removal. I did manage to use the walls to help support me.

For the next 3 days I cursed that trainer as well as cursing myself for not wanting to show any weakness. I got through it all though :0) Keep your eye on the prize!

Gym Class Hero, NOT!!

2012-06-23T05:22:00.001-07:00

Here I am and I'm just a little bit bigger than I should be. I finally got fed up. I'm tired of being overweight. SO tired of it. I decided to do something. I needed help. I started believing that I couldn't do this without some help. My husband, while supportive of my decision, didn't share the same goals for himself. This makes things very, very difficult. The above picture in particular sent me over the edge. "Do I really look like this?" Holy crap what happened???" No, seriously? I know my boobs aren't really that big! Uhhh, I just measured and yes they are.

I guess all the margaritas and incredible dinners have finally caught up with me. It didn't help that I only occasionally walked. Once in a blue moon. That was my workout. I tried to blame all of it on menopause but, ... that really isn't fair. It isn't fair at all. I need to share the blame.

For 2 weeks I checked out the gyms, trying to decide what to do; so many choices. Do I choice the closest one or the one that has the most equipment? Finally, after making a gym decision, I had to decide what to do next. Do I just sign up to use the equipment or do I sign up for a trainer? I was totally immobilized for a couple of days. I had to make a decision. I had to commit to doing this. I was scared. What would this mean? No more margaritas or chips? What about cheese dip? You think I'm joking? I'm not :p.

I took a deep breath and signed. It all looked perfect. One of the owners let me know I would meet with the clinic and then the trainer. TRAINER!! Really? I had to make appointments for these which I did.

The appointments were back to back; clinic first and then trainer. The clinic appointment probably wouldn't be so bad except for the stepping on the scale. The trainer appointment means measurements would be taken. That, my friends, is embarrassing. I know what some would say, "Well you got yourself into this mess! If you would have chosen activity and life opposed to working your day around food and margaritas then you wouldn't be here!" This is true but not helpful.

Trainer time! We sit and talk about goals, diet (Paleo), and then a trial run. WHAT! I didn't know I was actually going to do something today. I thought we were just going to talk. No really! I thought the next appointment would be the first workout.

He tells me there will be a very basic workout so that there is a baseline. 5 minutes on treadmill, 40 squats, 20 sit-ups, 10 pushups, 10 pull ups and I'm done. 5 minutes on the treadmill was a piece of cake. I was walking at 3 MPH at a 5% incline. Not bad. I'm feeling good!!

Next comes the other stuff...
TO BE CONTINUED>>>

Ghostly Father's Day

2012-06-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

Father's Day can be a bit daunting, with regards to finding something for my husband; gifts you can open. I struggle with this because I don't really believe in giving someone a gift just to give a gift. That bothers me. It's also difficult to do when you live a life like we do. If you can afford clothing whenever you need it, or most anything for that matter, then why wait to buy. That is my husband's philosophy. I agree with part of that. If I truly need something, I will go and get it.

I am very grateful that we live a comfortable life. I couldn't even imagine not having the basics. We are very fortunate. Unfortunately though this quality of lifestyle makes it difficult to find my husband gifts for the major events: his birthday (which now we've deemed a celebration of life and not a number), our anniversary, Christmas and Father's day. If you can buy whatever you need and most of what you want what's left to give as a gift? Not much. Not much especially if your significant other doesn't really have any hobbies outside of watching his kids play sports and doing things with his family. VERY commendable but, ...

I love him dearly but he is difficult to buy for. Very difficult. This year I have been stumped. His celebration of life day was in May. I'll omit the number now. For that he unwrapped an iPad, along with several other smaller gifts. Next comes Father's Day, June 17th. So I feel it is my duty to come up with just the right gifts in a very short amount of time.

Half of the year I racked my brain trying to figure out what to get him for Father's Day. Something unusual. Pondering what he likes led me to Waverly Hills; Waverly Hills is in Louisville, Ky. It is a sanatorium no longer in use. Yes, it's haunted and they have tours. Actually they have a variety of tours to choose from. Some of these you spend the night. The only problem is Waverly Hills is in Ky and we are in Ga. We have family in Louisville but won't be visiting for a few more weeks. Thank God that didn't pan out. I would hate to have to send him there by himself but, ...

How about a ghost tour here? There were a couple tours here that I checked into. One was in Decatur and the other in Roswell. Roswell was closer to Canton but no tour on Sunday. I signed us up for a tour the Friday before. We were all set.

The kids knew but didn't say a word. They were awesome about it. I have a feeling though that even thinking about it would make it real so they opted out of that. They never said they were scared but my 12 year old daughter kept asking those little questions like,"Are we going to see ghosts?" and "Do we go on the tour when it is dark?" My son didn't really say anything except,"I'm not scared." He's 15.

We left Friday around 6 PM for dinner. We ate at a (surprise, surprise) Mexican restaurant in Roswell. Pretty good food and excellent margaritas :0). Yes, margaritas. After all, we are going on a ghost tour; nothing wrong with a little liquid courage! Finally we let Dad take a couple of stabs at figuring out why we were on this side of town. Finally the flashlight clue gave it away. He guessed one of his gifts. Away we went.

The tour lasted 2 hours. A lot of history, picture taking, and possibilities. We only had a few paranormal events. I heard careful whispers and my son witnessed the flicker of a street light. After returning home, my husband was quick to download his pics and videos. He thought he saw something in a couple of pictures. According to the Roswell Ghost Tour people, they were probably nothing. It did get my husband thinking though.

We all had a great time and Father's Day was true to celebrating what Father's Day is all about.

My AHH HAA Moment: Post-It Notes

2012-06-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

SOooo, I woke up this morning with a game plan: Treadmill for 20, weights for 20, shower, mail, volunteer @ historical society. Reality bites. This is what actually happened.

Treadmill for 20. Well, okay it was close to 20 but more like 10 minutes. The first 5 minutes of my walk/jog I was occupying my mind with guessing who would come into the bedroom I was in. See we don't exactly have a workout room. The treadmill, weights, yoga mat, ... share space in the spare bedroom. The spare bedroom is rarely used by guests so most of the time it is a place to workout. You say,"What's the problem with that?"

Every mom in the world can tell you that when you need to have time for you, it is nearly impossible when you have a husband, kids and pets sharing the house with you. For instance, when I need to make a call, almost as soon as I get the person on the line that is when the kids and pets argue with one another. It's almost like a warning shot before a race starts. If the kids are outside playing then it's the dogs that start going after one another. You think by now I would make all phone calls in my closet.

Disturbances, distractions also happen when I need other types of alone time to read, workout, or meditate. Working out is the worst time though. Imagine, you are on a treadmill. You are jogging on an incline on a treadmill for 5 minutes and suddenly you hear a knock or the handle vigorously jiggling. Sometimes I hear my kids try to quietly pry the door open to the bedroom. What is so stinking important that you just have to come in right now. This is a pattern. They do know I am in there. They also know the standard applies, "Unless there is blood or an obvious broken bone do not come into this room when I am in here." A door with a lock on it is a necessity for me, but even then what's going on beyond the doors can be a distraction.

A closed/locked door means nothing to another person (AHEM husband) who isn't so quiet. When I workout at home I always need to make certain both doors, the one leading into the hall and the one leading into the bedroom (where the treadmill is), are both locked. Why? My husband will keep trying doors until one pops open. It's nice our guest room has an adjoining bathroom. It's nice for our guests. Usually we get guests once every three years or so. Which brings me back to my bright idea of what a necessity a guest bedroom was. "It will cost a little extra in the long run, for that extra bedroom, but it will be worth it for our guests." Funny how your perspective changes when reality bites back. Seriously!!

SO when I hear my husband trying the door leading from the bathroom to the bedroom I recognize what I did wrong. My fault for not locking the bathroom door. Oh wait a minute, I can't lock it from inside the bedroom because there is no lock on this side. He wins because he can still get in. SO, when he can't unlock the hallway door, because I can lock that one, he will knock. It's like rapid fire knocking. Really! To get my head back in the game after this in nearly impossible because now I have the dogs to contend with. Three dogs barking their heads off because they don't realize where the knock is coming from as well as who is doing the knocking.

Door from the hallway with "Do Not Disturb" Post-it

Then today nothing. I kept waiting for it but nothing. Then I really started to get paranoid, took a break and made signs, out of Post-it Notes, letting everyone know not to come in. I now ate up some more of my time being concerned about others taking it away from me. That was an AHH HAA moment. Not a soul tried to steal my time. Today my distractions were all in my head.

Door from bathroom to bedroom with "Do Not Disturb" Post-It

I walk out of the room, sit in my chair to go through emails I need to respond to. All 3 dogs are nearby. The puppy, now 9 months, is using the older dog as a chew toy. No really, it's pitiful. She drags him around by either his collar or his neck. The bigger dog comes over to me wanting a little attention. She trys to put her nose under my arm, lifting my arm up to initiate a petting. I begin to pet her and along comes the puppy. The oldest dog flies up into the chair next to me. He is shaking and his eye is draining. He has Horner's Syndrome. Poor baby. The vet assures me he isn't in pain but he is quite a sight.

Shower and off the the Historical Society for 3 hours. I love going there, helping to document history. So much to pour through and piece together. After I leave at 12 it's lunch and then home to wrap things up for the day. You know the usual phone calls and bills to pay. Before I know it the clock says,"Time for dinner."

Heavenly Sedona, AZ

2012-06-04T07:55:00.001-07:00

An absolutely beautiful place! I could live here :0)

We were only gone 5 days, not really enough time to take in the sights and shop. We decided to do a little of both. The views were spectacularly breathtaking. I highly recommend putting Sedona on your list. Take a least a week and a half if you can. It is sooooo worth it!

Salsa Recipe

2012-04-27T04:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, here goes.

Easy Peasy Salsa Recipe

4 tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 to whole jalapeño, diced
juice of 1/2 a lime
salt and pepper to taste
As Rachael Ray says, "Yummo!"

BKS: An Unconventional BLT

2012-04-26T06:50:00.001-07:00

I just finished breakfast. I'm one of those that can eat just about anything for breakfast. Usually I eat the norm. I will fry a couple of egg whites in some Pam (Canola oil spray). Sometimes I just season the egg whites with salt and pepper and other times I add onions, sweet pepper, salsa, ... whatever I feel like and have on hand.

Today was one of those days that didn't feel like having the conventional. There weren't any leftovers that sounded appealing. We are getting toward the end of the week so not a lot of options. I have been known to make tuna salad, have leftover Chinese or pizza, or a kale salad.

Yes, kale. I prepared a kale salad yesterday. It's really easy and satisfies a sweet tooth. Really?? Yes. It's super easy too! All you do is combine fresh kale (cut in bite size with pine nuts, Craisins, balsamic vinegar, a little olive oil and a little agave (stevia, honey or regular sugar would work). Yesterday I had some kale leftover so ...

After spying the turkey bacon, leftover from Sunday, I thought a BLT sounded pretty good. I know, it's 7AM but I like to think outside of the box. Looking through the fridge I remembered that the lettuce had to be discarded last night. I did however have kale. Where's that tomato? Oh, I used it for salsa last night. Instantly I thought I will just substitute a few ingredients for my BLT.

Turkey bacon, kale, salsa and light fat-free mayo on 7 grain wheat bread, thinly sliced, made a really delicious and extremely healthy BKS sandwich. Fresh salsa is a little time consuming but sooooo worth the time. I will post the recipe. Try my BKS sandwich and the salsa recipe and let me know what you think!

Cell Phone Indiscretions

2012-04-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

Cell Phone Indiscretions: Do You Respect Others?

There is a certain type of etiquette I expect from those using a cell phone. The main idea here is when you are talking on your cell phone, look around to make certain you aren’t bothering anyone else. That would take care of it all right there. The only issue with that is many really don’t believe they are offending anyone else. They don’t realize how they are being rude.

There is no reason to talk on your phone while you are in close proximity to someone else, unless you are on a conference call. This applies to being out in public or in the privacy of your own home. For example, if you are seated in a restaurant or standing in the checkout lane there is not a reason to have a conversation on your phone. It is just plain rude. If you recognize the number to be that of the school your child attends, or your aging parents who never call, you do have the option of calling them back once you are outside of the establishment or inside your car. A couple of minutes isn’t going to matter to the person who called. That is the reason for the answering system on your phone.

Speaking of talking on the phone in your car, it is acceptable as long as no one else is in the car with you. My husband thinks this is ridiculous. He doesn’t see a problem with this. My problem is he is a loud talker. Well, he is a loud cell phone talker, when talking with anyone other than me. When he leaves a message for me, he whispers. It’s almost as if he doesn’t want anyone to hear him. Interesting since the message he usually leaves is “Call me back.” Any other time look out. He really cranks up the volume when talking with his hearing impaired mom. Couldn’t it wait?

It is amazing how many people don’t find cell phone curtesy to apply to them. Cell phone rudeness knows no boundaries. I’ve witnessed cell phone indiscretions in both young and old, male and female from various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. As a matter of fact an incident occurred over the weekend that I feel I must share. Are you sitting down?

I was sitting down in a restaurant in the lovely city of Nashville. Nashville, Indiana. My family and I drove to Nashville for a little shopping. We stopped for lunch. Right before leaving the restaurant I stopped off at the restroom. The restroom had 2 stalls and 2 sinks, not a large area. Upon walking in, there was a middle-aged woman on her cell phone. She proceeded to walk into one of the stalls while she was on the phone. No, really!

I couldn’t help but overhear part of her conversation. She was talking with her son. Seriously?? Yes, she was using the restroom while carrying on a casual conversation with her son. It wasn’t even my son and I was embarrassed. The poor kid. I finished up and almost decided not to flush right as I heard her “finish up.” At that point I thought , “To heck with it all,” and flushed. So, I flushed, she flushed and then we both washed our hands. She was still on her phone. Yuck!! When I left the bathroom the shock and horror left me completely incapacitated.

As my husband has recently stated, “Nothing surprises me anymore.” Is it just me or does this bother you too?

Hunger Games: Did This Happen To You?

2012-03-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

When the theater ushers opened the doors, it was like watching Walmart shoppers on Black Friday. Bumped and jostled, with popcorn and a drink in hand, we made our way to our seats. Parents and kids were trampling one another to get a good seat. That was the first disturbing thing. I have an in-law that likes to use that term liberally. "How was the trip to the store?" He would answer with a sound resembling the old Buick my parents had. He stopped, started and then he would say,"It was very disturbing." His forlorn tone would immediately evoke, "OHHHH! Why?" From there he would go into an in-depth synopsis of why someone's behavior, or lack there of, was disturbing. Interesting...

On the screen are the endless previews. I hear screams coming from all around me. Mainly from girls. I know, go figure. They can't wait. The movie starts and the screams in stereo come full circle. Between this, the 50 X 100 screen, and the increasing volume of the previews it was a little too much. That's about when the Blair Witch like recording began.

Jerky camera moves, greasy popcorn and I do not make a good combination. Then the plot begins to unfold. If you haven't seen the movie or read the book don't worry. I won't give too much away.

It wasn't that clear to me if it was the present day or future. It looked like Coal Miners Daughter meets Alice in Wonderland. Basically, in this particular place areas are divided up into districts. Kind of like counties. In this state, for lack of a term that adequately describes the area as a whole, there is a lottery. The lottery is for ages 12-18. Parents bring their kids to this outdoor arena and the ruler of the state draws names from a glass jar. She draws 24 names total, 12 girls and 12 boys.

After drawing the names she says, "May the odds be ever in your favor." The children are then taken to a remote, jungle like, area. They are visibly scared, not really knowing what to do but they know what they must do. Out of 24 only 1 can come home. The 24 children fight to the death. The clock ticks and each time a killing happens everyone knows it, including the parents. The killings are basically Skyped to everyone.

Before agreeing to take my middle schooler to see the movie, I did know what the premise of the movie was. I knew but until it was right in front of me it didn't hit me.

It took 3 days before I began to feel better. My stomach was upset. It was so upset I couldn't eat a lot. I was literally sick to my stomach. Maybe it was because I couldn't stomach what I was seeing.

Hunger Games: I'm Not Hungry Anymore

2012-03-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Well I'm not as hungry as I used to be after last Friday evening. Hard to believe it's almost been a week ago. I'm still feeling it. I'm trying to look at the bright side of what happened.

So my daughter's friends were very excited about going to see a movie. Most of her friends had read all of the books. Her best friends had even bought the clothing. All of their hair is now like "her" hair. Can you guess the movie? Yes, The Hunger Games.

When these books first came out, the only reason I knew anything about the first book was my involvement in book fairs. I coordinate book fairs for elementary and middle school. This book was one of those books heavily promoted. All the kids loved it. I, at the time, had only briefly read the back cover. At the warehouse sale I picked up all three because kids were falling in love with them.

This was awesome news for me. I have a son who, at the time, was required to read a certain amount of books during the school year. I knew that he wasn't anywhere close to his goal of 25. How did I know, you ask? Since I coordinate book fairs, I am close with the Media Specialist. The Media Specialist, in conjunction with his reading teacher, knows what he has read. It's good to be involved.

Every kid, okay every kid from 10-15, was raving about the book. Parents were letting me know that their nonreader blew through the books. Blew through the books! YES! OMG, it is so difficult to find something for my son to read so this was a no-brainer.

I bought the books, brought them home and proudly laid them on his bed. He comes home from school and I say, "I bought you something today. I laid it on your bed." His eyes lit up a little too quickly. Maybe I shouldn't have been so enthusiastic.

He looked at the back cover and said, "No." I said in one breath, "What do you mean? All the kids love these books!" "Just try to read it!" He replied by saying nothing. The book just sat at the end of the bed until he put then on the bookshelves in the living room. Oh well, I tried. I'm always trying.

His sister found out about the books after her friend talked about how good they were. She couldn't put the book down. In a short amount of time she had blown through all of the books. I was impressed. She was a nonreader just like my son. She couldn't get enough of these books. For Christmas she was given the last of the series along with a "Hunger Games" t-shirt. Her sister, the reader of the two, followed suit.

Both talked to my daughter. They also talked to another friend. They were all pretty intoxicated with the characters just by discussion, not because all of them had read the books. It was kind of cute. It was kind of cute until the movie started.

The other moms and I decided to go out to dinner before the movie. The timing was a bit tricking. We agreed on 5:30 @ Zaxby's. Zaxby's would be quick. Apparently there would be a tremendous waiting period. WHAT! I had already purchased the tickets. Actually WE had already purchased the tickets AND picked them up. One of the friends knows about the chaos and frenzy associated with the release of movies that have this much of a following. We arrived a hour and a half before the movie started. There were people already lined up outside of theater. Already outside of the theater! No, seriously. I'm not talking about he people standing in line to purchase the tickets. This was the line INSIDE of the the theater. We were already 6 deep on both sides of the doors leading into the actual theater. It was CRAZY!

This will have to be continued...

The Fine Art of Complaining

2012-03-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

Ginger is soon to be 7

I've been inspired, by another blogger, to write about the fine art of complaining. Their story was a bit technical in nature but basically said complaining isn't good for you. Just in case you are interested here is the link, gillisfitnessconsulting.com.
Their entry has very legitimate points. Here are a few glowing reviews of those points from my perspective.

Ruffles is the old man of the bunch at 10 or 11

Okay, first of all the only members of my household that don't complain are my dogs. My older dogs that is. The puppy still complains in her own way. She's in her kennel now because I really have things to do, like write. I can't write and chase, retrieve things from a puppy mouth, keep her from eating the sofa as well as protect my older dog from her puppy teeth. Take a look at her picture. She looks scary but really isn't possessed and she doesn't have cataracts. I'm still learning how to take a picture. I'm 45. You would think I would have an understanding of the basics of photography by now.

Bella is the devil puppy. She'll be 7 months old soon.

As I'm writing, the whimpering and whining, while she is in her kennel, is almost unbearable. It reminds me of when my kids were babies and felt they were being tortured (restricted) while in their crib, carseat or Exersaucer. In particular, my daughter. No, we didn't put her in a kennel. Although... Her Exersaucer was kind of like a portable kennel. It allowed me to shower occasionally.

When she was an infant/toddler/preteen she wanted to be with me all of the time. I'm not complaining, only stating a fact. I'm a stay-at-home mom. This truly means that she could be with me 24/7. Now that she's in school that is a little harder for her to do. When she was a toddler, her room at night was like a jail and her crib was her cell. Very fitting because she was also an escape artist. Many a morning I would find her next to me. I'm not complaining!

As the article in Pure Women's Fitness stated, complaining is not healthy for anyone. The more people you complain to, the more people are fed and the more the complaining continues at an alarming rate.
As the years have flown by the whining, huffs and puffs, sighs, moans and groans, head thrusts, head banging, feet stomping, and verbal assaults continue. It isn't all of the time. Usually when one member of the family isn't complaining the other one is. When it's at it's best, complaining is like a chess game.

If I do/say _____ I hope they will notice and do ______.

My husband and I started the game of hidden complaints. We are filtering what we say but figure out other ways to get our complaint across. It looks like my son will finish it with a combo of implied discontent and in your face verbiage. He's working on his filter. When my husband and I complain we would probably say that we aren't complaining. We are only stating a fact.

On the subject of dinner-

My son...

Son: "Mom, what are we having for dinner?"
Me: "Baked chicken, asparagus and a salad."
Son: "Please don't tell me it's crock pot chicken.Crock pot chicken is completely disgusting. It makes me want to throw up. Okay, now I can't eat dinner."

My husband...

Husband: "What's for dinner?" (I sense in his tone, and the pleading in his eyes, he's hoping I'll suggest going out for Mexican)
Me: "Baked chicken, asparagus and a salad."
Husband: "Ohhh"

Now how motivated do you think I am to come up with something other than microwave quick or take out? Not that I'm complaining or anything. What are some of your complaints?

Is It Just Me?

2012-03-07T09:04:00.001-08:00

Yes!! I did it! Always knew I could.

I know it's all a part of the journey but ... don't you wish at times you could pick out the frustrating lessons of life and recycle them. Why not give them to more worthy individuals? If everyone would just behave and do what they are supposed to do we wouldn't have these problems. We wouldn't need jails. No really?!! Why should someone else's shortcomings fall on my family's shoulders. Let me breakdown the recent weight of the world.

First there is school. Both my daughter's and son's schools have a problem with communication. Let me begin by saying I like my daughter's and son's schools. I like the administration and I like the teachers. They all seem to be personable and nice enough. Personable and nice enough in person.

Generally speaking, it seems as if my daughter's and son's needs are being met. She really doesn't have many needs aside from a little extra help in reading. She manages to always stay motivated, even when things were not going so well. They weren't going so well last year and the year before. Teachers couldn't offer up any other options to increase her comprehension. At the school she is at now, they have other options. This is awesome!

What she doesn't lack, some of her teachers do. Motivation is a problem for some of her teachers. You can throw some of my son's teachers in there as well. These teachers do not seem to be motivated in the area of communication. That is, responding to communication from me. I'm a little disturbed by this. I need clarification and I need it pronto. I don't know how long the "issue" has been going on so I need for the teachers to respond to my questions/statements within a reasonable amount of time. I'm usually good with a few days. I understand they are not just waiting for me to email them so that they can respond. They have a thousand and one things to do. Well, so do I! Communication with the parents should come in second, right behind teaching. If a teacher doesn't communicate what is going on, then parent doesn't know. If it's a parent like me they will either assume the worst or just want clarification so they don't assume the worst. If they need to they try another route to get what they need. What I need are answers.

Award's Day

Comprehension isn't my daughter's strong suit. If there is a comprehension "issue" it needs to be addressed in a timely matter because the class will move onto the next standard or subject. How will negating my email help my daughter who struggles with comprehension? It puts her behind the 8 ball. She will be left behind which will leave her frustrated and eventually less motivated.

This Certificate of Achievement Is Stupid

My son has motivation issues himself but he is a freshman in high school. He is not an adult nor a teacher. He claims his "issues" are that he needs to be in all advanced classes. "The classes are too easy and I get bored. I don't hand things in when I should or do them when I should because I don't care. I am bored." Really. Wow! My response was, "Sorry, you have to do the work or you'll end up being 30 and working at Dairy Queen. If that is your goal in life so be it. That is your choice." At least I know where he sits with all of this.

Emails to his teachers are to voice concern so that maybe they can talk to him. They might be able to say something that will snap him out of it. I can always pray for that lightbulb moment. The switch can't be flipped on if there is no switch. I'm not getting anywhere when I email some of his teachers because they aren't motivated enough to respond.

What Just Happened

SOOO Close!

Moving on to sports. Both of my kids have always played sports. They need an outside activity. We live in the burbs and it's either a playing a musical instrument or sports. Sports it is!

They have played all types of sports. Currently, I coordinate games for my son's high school team. I am in touch with the coaches in the league to figure out who we should play and when. The less experienced teams we should play first. This makes the most sense because many of our kids are new to the sport. We need time to develop our team and we can only do that by playing not by getting creamed.

When I first started speaking with the coaches, to schedule games, I thought they were being honest. I believed them when they said 1/2 of their team is new to the sport and 1/2 of their team have some experience. This hasn't proved to be correct yet. I know. I know. Honestly, I think I'm a little too naive. Why would a coach lie to me though? I didn't lie to them. Why would a coach say their team and our team would be evenly matched when they know that isn't the case? Are they in it for the win? Looks like it to me. What is this teaching the kids? What is this teaching adults? Domination is a good thing. That's just life. Winning is the most important thing. Do whatever it takes to win because that is the name of the game.

Nice, huh?? Okay, I need a glass of wine. It after 4:00 pm somewhere. What's wrong with a glass or two after 12?

Is it just me?

Are You Talkin' To ME!!

Wardrobe Malfunction: Check Yourself Before You're Exposed

2012-02-23T18:10:00.000-08:00

Down Dog

Yoga Lessons:

Lesson #1: Stay in the moment and quiet your mind. Focusing on yourself you will not be your worst enemy.

Lesson #2: If it hurts, you should not be doing it. It is one thing to push yourself a little, it's another thing to be HeMan.

Lesson #3: Do not wear any perfume

Lesson#4: If you are late, do not disturb meditation at the beginning of class. Wait until after meditation before opening the doors and entering the studio.

I love yoga. I will do anything to be able to go to yoga. As usual, I'm rushing to get to yoga. I should say lately I've been rushing. If someone were to ask me, "Why do you think Pam is late to yoga?" My standby theory is, "If they want to do something they will do it, they will be early or on time, they will not make excuses." My behavior kind of blows this theory of mine. I don't think my tardiness indicates my level of enjoyment. I do enjoy yoga. I like everything about yoga as a practice. The studio is awesome, the instructors make me want to come everyday and I don't want to leave, the atmosphere is inviting, the classes are just what I need. It's just been this past year that I've been running behind by 5 minutes, give or take. I'm trying to make it seem less damaging. At least I arrive before meditation. I'm getting there just as everyone settles in, so I'm good.

I know that I have at least 5 extra minutes. My yoga instructor usually gets us nice and relaxed by telling us a story. He truly has the best stories. Not only does he teach yoga but he also teaches piano and he writes music. He used to cut hair. I'm sure you can only imagine the stories he has. It's funny though because his best stories are about him. My daughter goes with me to yoga when she has a day off from school. She goes to hear his stories. He doesn't tell his stories then. That fact just occurred to my daughter after our last visit.

Okay, so I blame my tardiness on getting my kids off to school, the long traffic lights, the pokey drivers, the unexpected school zones and farm equipment. I'm usually eating breakfast, a bowl full of yogurt with berries, in the car. I don't know what's gotten into me. I just need to pay better attention to the clock.

I also need to pay better attention to what I wear to yoga. I don't have enough of the right kinds of clothing for all of the bends and twists. My pants scoot down before I can catch them and my top gets twisted and pulled down so far that I'm flashing the instructor as well as anyone else not "in the moment."

On this particular day I was, as expected, running late to class. As I dressed, I realized way too late that my top was too short and my yoga pants were not quite long enough. Maybe it had something to do with those martinis? I got to class just in time. We finished our meditation and began our salutations.

Sun salutations are a continuous and very fluid movement. I struggled with this. Every lunge I was tugging on my top and my pants. Of course I was in my place in class. The front left position was the one I claimed. I really wish I hadn't done that.

Forward bends, back to down dog, to plank, forward bend, over and over again. The last forward bend into down dog had me off balance and trying to reclaim hips distance as best I could. As I spread out my stance I hear threads popping the same time I feel air coming in. Air is almost flooding into my behind.

Now, if my top was long enough I would have done a pull down and cover. Another choice would be to tie my fleece sports jacket around my waist. No, wait! I was running late so in an attempt to shave off 2 minutes I decided not to run back into the house to grab my jacket before I left.

Okay, so I'm in down dog, exposing myself yet again, only in ways I never could have imagined. The really sad part is I waited a while before coming out of down dog because I thought the cool breeze had to have been coming from somewhere else. I was in total denial. That couldn't possibly have happened. It sure did.

I made a quick exit to the bathroom where low and behold the seam had split in the most compromising of places.

Yoga lesson #5, always check your attire before coming to class. Just like in a gym you inspect your equipment, in yoga you need to inspect what you are wearing.

One Hot Body

2012-02-23T14:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, today was a new experience for me. It was my first body wrap. Normally a body wrap wouldn't even be on my radar but Sweet Jack shot me an email and the discounted price was too tempting. I called to schedule my appointment. The man on the other end of the line sounded very professional although a bit robotic. You know, like your typical inside salesperson. He also sounded a bit harried so I didn't ask a lot of questions. "It wouldn't be a traditional wrap. It will not be a nude wrap. Drink extra water, ...."

Immediately, after wishing him to have a good afternoon, my mind went into "What's it going to be like?" mode. When my mind jumps there I'm literally trying to calculate what it will be like down to the parking situation. I know the person on the other end of the phone could answer my questions but some of the questions would definitely pinpoint my quirks and other questions would zero in on areas that are just naturally revolting.

I try to always be prepared, period. I am prepared. Every detail is laid out in my head and on paper, especially if it is a place I haven't been to before, a job interview, ... I'm okay with change as long as I can prepare. That is how I cope.

I don't think most people are this way. I actually go to the extent of visualizing myself in a particular situation just to see what I might need. It's the physical needs I'm concerned with. For example, when I first ran across this deal, I thought I wouldn't be able to do it. The reason? When I get hot, I get really hot. No, I mean REALLY HOT. I have been known to pass out due to the heat. It has nothing to do with how hot the temperature is outside. I have passed out in Best Buy and I came within a millisecond of dropping to the floor at a very crowded funeral.

So now I'm paying to be wrapped in heat. Dear God, help me!

TO BE CONTINUED...

Some of My Favorite Things

2012-01-30T03:16:00.000-08:00

Things ~ Random Listing

All Things Apple (Mac, Macbook, iPad, iPhone & iPod ~ Old school iPod:0)

Okay, just as a side note: Yesterday morning I watched CBS's story on Foxconn. I must admit I was a little more than shocked. I was also shocked specifically that if Steve Jobs were as involved in his products as he was that he wouldn't have tried his best to take care of the situation. Did his need to get product to the masses override his compassion. NO, wait a minute. Steve Jobs in the same sentence with compassion? I do applaud him for being at the realm of such a perfect product but at what expense?

Paper Mate (SharpWriter)mechanical pencil ~ for writing. LOVE THESE! The leads are just soft enough and the pencil is light enough. It has a really good eraser too.
Pens ~ Have always been a bit preoccupied with finding a good one. The more expensive ones aren't necessarily the best. Seeing a pen for me is the equivalent of "Squirrel!"
Post-Its ~ Big and small (I especially like the recycled ones)
Journals ~ with seemingly handmade paper
Lavendar and lavender oil (I grow lavender. I just need to figure out how to harvest it)
Patchouli ~ Makes me feel really grounded
Vivelle ~ Hormone patch. Wonderful bliss:0)
Gummy Vitamins ~ Really hard for me to stomach the regular stuff
Prescription Readers ~ Some think there isn't a difference but there is.
Vera Bradly Tote ~ Just big enough for my MacBook, journal, magazines,...
Tervis Tumblers ~ Someday I will own one.
Handmade Soaps ~ Good start to a day
Candles ~ that burn well and smell exceptional
Incense ~ Almost any sent except the fruity ones or the fake smelling ones
Lint Roller ~ We have 3 dogs, need I say more. I have a son that is obsessed with "Mom, where's the lint roller!" Can you hear him shout it.
Calculators and a good dictionary
Red wine ~ Sometimes, at the end of the day, (or at least after 11) it helps me make sense of it all.

My Favorite Places

2012-01-27T12:50:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite places both of the material and the ethereal worlds. You decide what belongs in what world.

Places I LOVE! ~ In a Particular Order

The home I grew up in (Shoutout to Louisville, KY~ The East End)
Kentucky Center for the Arts (I could live there)
Youth Performing Arts School (I did live there and loved it for 3 years)
The Posture Project (Woodstock, GA. It's intoxicating place for getting more intune with oneself)
The Herb Shop (Holly Springs, GA. Not what you think. Just driving by gives off such good energy)
Fox Theater ( Atlanta~ I wouldn't mind spending a little more time there)

Angel Oak in South Carolina
Navarre Beach in Florida

Starbucks (A black coffee with a little ice. Just enough to cool it off but not enough to make it cold)
Publix (Produce is awesome and the employees at my location are exceptionally nice. Love the BOGO items)
SuperTarget (Their produce isn't great but I really enjoy the atmosphere and the 5% back with a debit Target card. I also like their clothes:0))

FranklinCovey stores (It's all about organization and how you carry it).
The Container Store (Everything and I mean Everything has it's place!)
TJ Maxx/Marshall's (For clothes and houswares and linens)
Steinmart (For undergarmets and special occasion clothing)
Ross (For who knows what!)

Permanent

2012-01-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

Words can never be erased. They are permanent. They can be so damaging. In this particular case I'm talking about how girls begin to view their bodies based on what others say to them. How one word to a little girl could stay with her a lifetime.

My daughter. My beautiful daughter and I were turning my bedroom floor into a nail shop. I was painting her toenails, as she was telling me about her day at school. A boy was bothering her, so and so got new boots and she had to catch-up on her reading. I could tell she wanted to say more and knew that an evening of painting nails might provide her with the courage she needs. It's funny, I can usually get more out of my kids when we are doing something together. Something other than just sitting and talking. This evening proved to be just such a night.

After telling me the fluff stuff, she made a bold statement.

"Mom, my thighs are fat."
Me, "What did you say?"
"My thighs are fat."

It wasn't a question but a statement. She didn't even hesitate. My first question was "Who told you that?" Of course the response was something like, "No one." Yeah, okay right. She's not going to tell me right now. I went into the whole, we are all built differently, .... She, on the other hand, wouldn't even consider that. Her urgency to get to another subject told me that.To be perfectly honest I don't know what I would do if I found out who told her that.

I do know to well how words are permanent. When I was 12 I thought I would never get taller. I was stuck at 4'8" FOREVER. All of my friends already had growth spurts. I, on the other hand, needed one. My doctor, at my well visit, told my mom (but I was sitting right there) that I really didn't need to gain anymore weight. That was permanently embedded in my head, as is evidence of this post.

I just hope it's not too late for my daughter.

Thanks Gabriela!! Visit her @ celebreightyourself.blogspot.com

http://celebreightyourself.blogspot.com/2012/01/fat-is-perfect-scapegoat.html

NCLB: The Forgotten Ones

2012-01-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

Initially, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) gave me hope. I was hopeful that this was the government's promise to take education seriously, leaving behind the focus on dollars and numbers. I was hopeful that no child would be left behind, giving every child an opportunity for success. The reality is this is not the case. Never did I think I would come to distrust this bill and everything it now represents.

It seems NCLB caters to students and schools who fit into a mold of either average students or above average students or those students that need more than a little help. What happens to the students who are not socio-economically disadvantaged or special needs? What happens to those students who need a little help to be on grade level? Are those students getting the help they need? Does NCLB provide help to this segment of students?

NCLB has forced public schools to place too much importance on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The CRCT is a standardized test given to students in April, usually right after Spring Break here in Georgia. This test, that most parents start hearing about in August and that teachers start prepping the kids for in August, is supposed to measure how well students are doing and how well teachers are teaching. In the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th grades the student's individual scores are used as a way to determine if the student needs to be retained or should be promoted. In my experience it is almost solely used to place students. If you ask administration they will deny it unless they are pressed.

Did you know that CRCT scores not only place students but rank schools? If the school's overall score is a "passing" one, they receive more funds. They receive more money than a school that does not perform well. What about the school that performs poorly but is in disparate need of more funding, to be able to get more help to the students who need it? Are the student's needs the priority? They should be.

Where is the focus? I sympathize with the teachers because their focus has had to shift as well. Teachers are bound by what seems like a mountain of test preparations which begin months before the test actually takes place. They want to make certain their students score well. Do teachers feel like they have to teach only things that might be on the test or "teach to the test?" NCLB seems to be pushing toward this goal. As an added pressure, these scores are being used to reflect how well teachers teach. What about the kids who have test anxiety and just do not test well? What about the children who are learning to speak and understand English? They take the same test everyone else does. Their scores are figured into the overall score as well. How accurate is the reflection now?

We, as parents and guardians, need to advocate for our children. The most important thing we can do is speak out, stay informed, stay in touch with our child's teachers and vote. Schedule parent meetings, look over the school work your children bring home to see if there are discrepancies between what you know about your child and what you are seeing. I encourage everyone to start doing this today! So much is being taken away from our children's educational experience, regarding time and resources, that those caring for school aged children need to fill in the gaps. If we do not step in, the children who were not left behind in the beginning will be in the end.

On This Day

2012-01-16T11:06:00.000-08:00

On this day, I remember a person who fought for the rights of people who thought they didn't have any. On this day, I remember a person who "looked fear in the face and said, I just don't care." Pink sang it best. On this day, I remember a person who fought not just for one but for many. A person that was led by passionate discord. A person who just couldn't take it anymore and did something about it. On this day, I remember more than just an African American man fighting for the rights of other African Americans. Martin Luther King is an inspiration to keep going, to keep fighting for what you believe in.

Teenagers!

2012-01-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

I don't really know what it is. Is it the fact that he moves so slow that you can't even tell he's moving? Is it the fact that he doesn't place things in the priority that I do? Like making sure assignments are turned in at school.

He continues to do things the way he wants to do them. I know this because I am notified of this. Parents who live in the county, have access to their students grades. Grades and absences are provided for students in elementary school through high school. You can also have the school shoot you an email if a grade drops below a certain threshold or if the student is absent or tardy. This is an excellent way for parents to stay in touch with the school and on top of what's going on with their student. It's helpful but there are periods of time I feel as if I'm being assaulted. Sometimes it seems like a never ending dictation of where his priorities are. Really!! He doesn't miss class so how could he have an NHI (needs to hand in)? If you studied, how could you make a 50% on a test? The thing is he is an honor roll student. He pulls a rabbit out of his hat right before progress reports or report cards come out. I know, I know. He gets things done his way. He is finding his way. I, in the meantime, am pulling my hair out. I also know I'm not alone. I've tried taking things away but he's 15. There isn't a whole lot I can take away because the things I think matter to him really don't matter to him.

Is it the fact that cleaning to him is rearranging things on his bathroom counter. Sometimes he makes me crazy! No, really. I removed his hamper from his room because his dirty clothes end up a foot in front of his hamper. Why have a hamper if you don't use it? I guess he just didn't have the time to flip up the top of the hamper to toss things in. Oh wait, his hamper doesn't even have a lid. Essentially it's a basket. He could be playing basketball. All he has to do is toss the clothes in.

Trash can? Who needs a trash can in your bathroom when there is a big one under the bed. You wouldn't believe what I have found under there. There are remnants of Halloween 2010, I'm sure of it. I vowed I wouldn't clean his room anymore. What I mean is clean it my way. I know, that sounds awful but I actually dust furniture and the floor and use cleaning products. I take care of the tub and toilet, wipe the dog's nose prints from his windows and stop to pick up the remaining clothes off of the floor. Actually I have stopped doing these things, for the most part. I have, however, stopped doing his laundry so either he is doing his own laundry or he's wearing clothes that really should be laundered (yuck!).

There are moments, however, that are utter bliss. When I come home from grocery shopping, he regularly comes out to greet me. He comes out not just to see what's going on but to help me unload all of those groceries. We are a family of four so there are a lot of groceries. Additional trips to and from the car are required. I don't even have to ask and I can tell he doesn't mind.

There are moments when he comes to me knowing that I need a hug. He might need one too, but he seems to sense when I need one. He gives the most genuine hugs!

There are moments when he consoles his younger sister. He lets her know that everything will be okay. He also tries to stop her from doing things he doesn't think she should be doing. It's so comforting to know that he truly has her back. The day before they might have been ready to rip each other apart.

There are moments when he speaks what is on his heart. One moment like this was when he told me he doesn't like school. He doesn't like the way kids treat one another at school. I told him that all he can do is be concerned with how he treats other people. He said,"I know mom, but it's hard to watch." It brought tears to my eyes.

He really is a good kid. I should be thankful that he is a beautiful soul and not make the little things my priority. What do you think?

Get Your Chick On!

2012-01-09T10:24:00.001-08:00

Today my husband left for Louisville. This trip is part pleasure and part work. He went to spend time with his family and to do some work while he's there.

The day didn't start off too well for him though. Yesterday's events collided with today's. My son left for school upset and soon after that episode my husband kissed me good-bye and he began his journey.

In an effort to console his soul he tried to find a Chick-Fil-A. He loves to have a Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit about once a week. He decided to search for one after he had been driving about a half an hour. Good luck. There might be a Starbucks on most corners but in North GA and TN the Chick-Fil-A's are few and far between. He tried though. A chicken biscuit from Chick-Fil-A along with their award winning coffee, at least in my husband's opinion, would restore his attitude and strengthen his resolve. He knew he would be able to make it if he just found a Chick-Fil-A before it was too late. The breakfast clock was ticking.

Driving north on interstate 75, he began looking for the billboards and state signs to direct him to the nearest location. This did not prove to be helpful. He consulted the GPS but claimed that it didn't even have Chick-Fil-A in the data bank. I was shocked! Come to find out later he was spelling Chick without the second C. No Chick-Fil-A?

Before he called me for some much needed compassion, he put a call into his office. He didn't want to call me unless he had to. You'll understand why in a moment. He spoke to several members of his staff asking them to track down a Chick-Fil-A. This assignment was time sensitive, breakfast in the world of fast food is generally over at 10:30. My guess is this was a conference call in order speaker to make an efficient use of his time. Also. the more people he had on the assignment the better chance that he could find the location he was in desperate need of. I'm sure when he first called he did not let on to what his actual intent was. He probably claimed he was "just checking in" to see what was going on in his absence. Then towards the end of the conversation he most likely did a usual segue of "Oh, by the way" which is when he gets to the heart of the matter. This time the heart of the matter was finding a Chick-Fil-A and now. They came up with 2 locations. He envisioned himself pulling through the drive-thru.

The first location said it was in a remote part of TN. He was determined to find it but without the GPS. He forgot to get an address but was told it was right off of the interstate at a particular exit. He finally arrived at the exit, with his mouth watering, he made a left turn and "What? No Chick?" Then he went the other direction but it was all for naught because there wasn't any sign of a Chick.

He was devastated but still pressed on. He had 20 minutes until breakfast was no longer. He really wasn't in the mood for a chicken sandwich, which is what Chick-Fil-A serves at lunchtime. He got back on the interstate and drove 3 exits north to his next presumed destination. Just as he was getting ready to go down the exit ramp he looked down at the clock in disbelief. I think at that time I actually heard him yell, "NOOOOO!" The clock in the car read 10:55. Breakfast ends at 10:30. I guess it didn't occur to him to verify the time on his phone. He should have.

Here is the best part. I didn't have the heart to remind him that in TN, that part anyway, they are an hour behind us. By the time he called me to give me the low down it was 10:30. It wouldn't have done any good to tell him anyway. He just would have been more upset. Oh well! I told him that next time he would have to plan his trip around Chick-Fil-A locations and their hours of operation.

Maybe before he heads back on Monday he can stop at the Chick in Louisville :0)

An Update: It's the next day and my husband is in Louisville heading in to work at the branch in downtown Louisville. He sends me this text:

Husband: Hey, did you say there was a Chick close to the mall?

Me: Y, it's a free-standing one

Husband: Headed that way now- YEAH! :)

Husband: Nooooo, they open @ 6:30 here-AAAAAA (it's 5:35)

Me: I'm sorry :0( (Not really)

(TIME IS NOW 6:27)

Me: It's almost 6:30 now. Maybe I'll go get a biscuit.

Husband: Haha!! Don't worry- I am here waiting. I will not be denied my Chick! I am on a mission!

Me: Wow! that's some motivation.

Husband: Got my chick on!

Movie Night: Descendants

2012-01-08T11:06:00.001-08:00

Earlier in the week my girlfriends and I planned a night out. We decided that Saturday night we would see "that George Clooney movie". I had no idea what the name of it was. Quite frankly I really didn't care. I enjoy time with my girlfriends and with George Clooney. Finally, Saturday night came. An hour after a chef's salad at Rafferetys, we were in the theater. Trip to the ladies room first then a trip to the concession stand. Popcorn and a coke cost more than the movie. Seriously??

My girlfriends said they usually brought their own drinks in. They also said if they bring the kids, they stop at the dollar store beforehand to buy candy. Really? Maybe bringing your own stuff into the theater is more common than I think. I just don't buy the candy. My kids have never complained, thank goodness. Popcorn is a different story. We always have popcorn. There is nothing like movie theater popcorn. That can go either way. I know first hand about making the movie theater popcorn and eating it.

When I first started working, I worked at a movie theater. I hated it! I might not have hated it so much if I was doing something fun like running the movie. They put me behind the counter. Yes, there was rudeness even WAY back then. Some were relentlessly unforgiving to a 16 year-old who couldn't think fast on her feet. As a matter of fact, I still can't think fast on my feet. Loved the guy who ordered a large popcorn with butter and a large diet coke. Something just wasn't right about that.

We got settled into our seats, switched off our phones and waded through the litany of previews. Finally the movie began. At first I wasn't sure I would like it. There was a lot of silence during the scenes. I got use to it though. The humor at times was really dry but fit the movie.

There were a lot of twists and turns, some tears shed and some cheers. I would highly recommend it. My recommendation has nothing to do with George Clooney :0)

The Nerve of Some People

2012-01-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

I decided to go to Starbucks today to sit and write. My local Starbucks had people coming and going. Actually, I've never seen a Starbucks that wasn't busy. I ordered my non-fat, no whip gingerbread latte, excited that it was still available. Being a seasonal drink sometimes they pull the plug before I'm ready.

I am a coffee snob. Few things in life am I particular about. Coffee is one of them. If I can't have good coffee then I would rather not have any coffee. I'm not a big coffee drinker. One or two cups of coffee in the morning are all I need.

Eventhough I am a coffee snob I don't think I'm pretentious. As a matter of fact I usually order a tall coffee with a little ice. I said a little ice. Not enough to make it cold. Just a couple of cubes to cool it off. I guess I could order my coffee at a certain temperature. Yes, people actually do this. The nerve of some people. Seriously!

This afternoon, while sitting and drinking my not to hot coffee, I was trying to come up with ideas for my blog. Then my ADD kicked in and I heard everything going on around me. Conversations were being carried out between the baristas, between baristas and customers as well as customers with each other. I picked up on one between the drive-thru barista and the customer placing their order in the drive-thru. It went something like this.

Barista: "Hi. Welcome to Starbucks. What can I start for you?"

Customer: "I would like a Jenny?"

Barista: "I'm sorry. I didn't understand your order. Could you please repeat it?"

Customer: "I would like a Jenny, please?"

Barista: "I'm sorry. We do not have a Jenny on the menu."

Customer: "Could I speak to your supervisor?"

REALLY?? That's right. At least at this particular Starbucks, you can rename a beverage. Yes, you can have a drink named after you. I've been researching this to see if this display of entitlement is common. I'll get back to you if I find anything.

We All Have "Issues"

2012-01-05T05:49:00.000-08:00

I just don't understand. Our sweet cute little puppy, and she is sweet, lost it. Her intoxicating puppy breath has now turned toxic. It seems it happened sometime during the night. I wonder if that is going to be her "issue." We all have issues. My family is not immune to them. My pets are members of our family so they are not immune to them.

Our first cat had a bit of a weight problem. He was very large and very lazy. He weighed 24 pounds. I really don't think we fed him too much. I think he was just "big boned". If I can round up a picture of him, I will share.

Our second cat, the one that we recently had put to sleep, was high strung. She also had stinky breath. Really stinky breath. Along with the bad breath came an attitude problem. No one could get near her. After or during the beginnings of the attitude problem came the litter box problem. Went I scooped every morning and evening I would consistently find pee on the wall. Then I discovered the hooded litter box. That solved the pee on the wall problem. Yes, I had a female cat that sprayed. When I asked the vet about this phenomena , he would in turn ask me,"Are you sure she is spraying?" I asked him if she was in fact spraying when I saw her lift her hind end up, spraying the wall with what appeared to be pee. "Oh," he said. He had heard of that but, ...

The next adoption occurred a few years back. Ruffles was adopted from a rescue. He is sweet but a bit skiddish. Ruffles is a Jack Russell that is not like your typical Jack. He loves curling up on the couch. He also doesn't like to have his feet touched. When he gets in bed you can't move him or you will lose fingers.When he's tired he's grumpy. He takes a lot of naps. I call him my little old man. Maybe it's because of his Andy Rooney eyebrows. Soon after we brought him home he would mark everything. I wouldn't mind so much if it were all outside but it isn't. Not only does he pee on things lying on the floor, he randomly just pees on the floor. Nice. I spent more time than I can tell you cleaning. One time he was in the upstairs landing while the rest of us were downstairs watching TV. We heard something that sounded like water running. Of course I'm the one who jumps up to find out what the heck is going on. I go into the foyer and see pee shooting from between the spindles upstairs down to the floor in front of me. Really? We all love him though.

The dog we picked up from the Atlanta Humane Society was a gorgeous puppy named Spice. We immediately felt Spice just wasn't the right name. We renamed her another spice, Ginger. Spice was too generic. She was, I mean is, cute. It didn't take long to train her and the two dogs seemed to get along just fine. This is before Ruffles started peeing on things.

By this time we only had one cat, Zoie. She was elderly and stayed upstairs. The dogs stayed downstairs except at night. Anyway, we soon found out that Ginger would eat anything. I do mean anything. She has eaten concrete, carpeting, toys, and yes even her own poop. The first time she ate her poop I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't believe it. I even talked to the vet about this. Apparently he knew of this issue also, like the female cat spraying, but hadn't actually encountered a client with a pet that did that.

I decided to watch a little Caesar Millan to see if anyone else had the same problem. Nothing. I researched the subject online and a couple of Caesar's books. I do love that man! Somewhere along my journey researching something was said about bananas. Feed a dog bananas and this will cure them. Not true. Bananas are apparently the only thing Ginger won't eat. You could tell she thought they were disgusting. It was almost as if she were being forced to eat her own poop. I guess I should be grateful she only occasionally does this.

Now there's Bella. So cuddly yet with moments of intense fire. She's a beautiful combination of bulldog persistence and pitbull lovability. Once we get past the puppy months we'll see what other "issues" come up. Hopefully it will only be her breath :0)