Number 42

Yesterday was my birthday. It was actually a really good day. Even if I did turn 42. It's funny, because I really don't feel 42, but then again, I'm not sure if 42 has an exact feeling! I was surprised I had such a nice day though, the hubby and I worked after prom from Saturday evening at 10:30 until 4:00 a.m. Sunday. We got home and let the dogs go out, then crawled in bed. At 7:15 Libbie woke me up scratching at the door. I let her up. At 8:05 all the dogs barked at something. I'd already been laying there, awake, so Igot up. After reading the paper and playing a little solitare, I decided at 11:00 I was going back to bed. Two phone calls and a sleepless hour later, I got up and showered. Our friends came out and we sat outside in the 89 degree weather, played "washers", it's an outdoor game we usually play while camping, and then finally found shade and a breeze and sat and visited. We had a nice steak dinner (thanks to the hubby for finely cooked, yummy steaks and Dave & Alex for the cheesey potato casserole and salad and my cake). Oh yea, the red velvet cake was delish too! I opened a few gifts and loved every one of them. I actually made it up until 10:00 that night, and slept the entire night without waking up one time. It was heaven!

I'm Home!

Silly as that sounds, it's nice to be home for an afternoon! Unfortunately, I am not going to get a pedicure today. The hubby called this morning and they left TX earlier than normal, so he should be home around 3:00. That said, I need to get the house picked up some. Although I should be allowed to do something for me, I also know that the hubby is a much happier man when he gets to come home to a neat and somewhat clean house. And since he's been gone all week, I really haven't done anything other than laundry (some of which is still in baskets), so it certainly is a good excuse to get things done. Plus the hubby asked if I wanted to go golfing when he got home. It's a beautiful day and I haven't golfed once this year, so I readily agreed. At least I am not sitting somewhere, twiddling my thumbs and thinking of all the things I need to get done....once I get off this computer, I'll be able to get those things done!

Another Wasted Afternoon

So yesterday I spent the afternoon at the Verizon store. Today, I spent it at the Dodge dealership. I was due for an oil change and I was also told the last time I was there that I needed a new seal for the front differential (whatever that is), because it was leaking. It had to be ordered. So I made the appointment to get them both done at once. One hour and 45 minutes after sitting there, the service guy finally said he'd check and see what was taking so long. Apparently I had the slowest mechanic working on my vehicle, since people came and went in the service department while I waited. I did think ahead and brought along the open house invitations for Ashley's graduation party to fill out while sitting there. I also watched a little CNN on the Phil Spector case (he's guilty simply because he's so creepy looking!). But seriously folks, I am tired of wasting my afternoons sitting in someone's store or service department! Tomorrow I'm spending my afternoon at my house, then getting a pedicure!

"The Network"...

Can kiss my .....oops! I just spent the most stressful afternoon in a Verizon store! All I wanted was a new phone for Morgan, who had dropped hers in the toilet. She was paying for it and had it picked out. It was cheaper if I added a line (then dropped one), and I wanted to change my plan to the new unlimited text etc. to any network. I was there over two hours!!!! The "store manager" although very nice, seemed a bit incompetent. He had to call the help desk and have them walk him through the computer program. They couldn't get the phone to activate and then he implied that Morgan's old phone was damaged because he didn't have the right cord to transfer her phone book. I know the stoopid thing wasn't damaged because I had just plugged it in and charged it to make sure it *wasn't* working before I let her buy a new one. And since "Mr. Manager" was the only one working, 3 other customers walked out while I was there. I am this [] close to hitting my weight goal, so I talked myself out of eating chocolate when I got home, instead I chose a mini bag of 94% fat free kettle corn. I can't say it's doing the trick to de-stress me, but I'll live.

The Calm after the Storm

Last night everything came to a head in the "4 way party". The two girls who have been somewhat difficult finally decided to actually tell Ashley & Kelsey why they were mad. It was more about Prom than the party! That and they said that Ashley was making all the decisions on things and she told them that if they would make time to come over and discuss things, then she wouldn't have to "be in charge". They were all here for lunch today and I told them it would be a good idea if they could find a time they all could go shopping for decorations. If they want to be in on the decision making, then need to actually do something. So for now, all is calm in graduation party land.....for now.

Oh, the Stress

Graduation is right around the corner. Ashley and her bff, Kelsey, decided they wanted a party together. They mentioned this to two other friends, who decided they wanted to have their party with Ash & Kels. I had reserved the clubhouse in our addition. They have rules, like no more than 40 people, with cameras installed. I figured we could get around this, beings it's an open house and people don't hang around (plus there will be no alcohol). But the other day 3 of the moms (well, me included) had a meeting to discuss costs and numbers. With family and the friends the 4 girls are inviting, we're looking at 250 to 300 people!!! So I quickly made a phone call, after a sleepless night of worry, to our local community center and as luck would have it, it was available for the night in question. I called the other 3 moms and asked their opinion. One was all for it, one never called me back and the other was wishy-washy. She then called me back and said her daughter was "opposed" to it. Now....this is my thoughts....the clubhouse I reserved is in my neighborhood. If I get caught breaking the rules it will be my family who gets fined and perhaps even prohibited from using the facility. No one else in this "charade" lives here. The community center isn't the most beautiful place, it's in a basement of an older building, but it's very open, lots of space and tables and chairs and no restrictions on how many people. There are things called decorations that you can use to spruce up a place. It also has a small kitchen that can be used. This has caused a big rift with the girls and I haven't even spoken to the parent who keeps calling me to say she's not sure they want to have it there. And another point is that I am the only one who has checked out other options. I've checked our country club for their dining room and newly covered patio (already booked), reserved the clubhouse, just in case it was needed, and called the community center. Ashley is stressing because the 4 girls had their pictures taken for invites to the party and we need to get them made, but the same girl who doesn't want to have it at the community center is the same girl who can't find the time to come over and help make a decision on which picture to use. It's kind of a nightmare. I'm really wishing just Ashley and Kelsey were having this party....it would be so much easier!

Only In a Small Town

Today I was heading home after running a few errands and I happened to be driving down the main street of our town. Who do I happen to see, but our mayor. He was riding his bike down the street, dressed in a flannel shirt and sweat pants, his oxgyen tank strapped to his back. He was pulling a cart with his bike and as I got closer, I could see what was in it.....his dog. Yep, I bet you don't see things like this in "the big city".

Think First

Recently, we've all been listening/reading about Don Imus' "open mouth/insert foot" moment. He referred to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy headed ho's" because they are black women, with tattooos. He sterotyped them. They are actually well educated women who happened to be talented athletes. I know this only too well. I have a beautiful, smart and very witty 17 year old daughter who seems to be sterotyped constantly. Why? She dyes her hair black (I find it beautiful myself), she has a nose ring, two piercings in her ears and a belly button ring (seriously, most people don't see those piercings, between clothing and hair) and a tattoo, also covered by clothing. So I'm guessing that most people see the nose ring and dyed black hair. It took her over a year to get a job, whereas most of her friends were hired by the first or 2nd application. She went to our local library and when she asked for an application, the elderly, retired elementary teacher who works there, looked her up and down and said "for a job???" Unfortunately, they didn't even consider her. And believe me, the girls loves to read. She scored a 34 on the reading portion of her ACT test. She loves books. In fact, if future employers and people who just dismiss her on her looks would pay attention, they'd know she is a smart, atrictulate and beautiful person. Even when she goes to her dad's hometown (which is quite small), she's known as the "goth girl". She's not goth, in any sense of the way, she's just not "the norm". She loves to be who she wants to be. This "outcast" received a presidential scholarship, general music scholarship and travel scholarship from her college of choice. She'll be someone in the future. And to all those people who dismiss her because she's "different"....someday you'll be sorry, you'll wish you took the time to get to know her, and you'll say, "maybe she wasn't so different!"

It's deceiving

Look out my window today and you'll see clear blue skies and a bright sun. Step outside my door and you're likely to get blown down the street by a fierce, cold wind. I think I'd rather stay inside and pretend it's nice.

What Family?

For 18 years I have lived away from any family. I've gotten used to it and for the most part, can't imagine living really close to family again. But yesterday, on Easter Sunday, I felt a pang of nostalgia for "the old times". You see, our Easter was fairly uneventful. We got up and went to church. We came home and ate some candy (the girls found their Easter baskets before church). We went to the country club and had brunch. That was it. I took a nap that afternoon and Ashley and I watched some prime time TV last night. But I spoke with my mom earlier in the day and of course back in IL the family gets together. They had Easter dinner at my cousin's house where they had an Easter egg hunt for the little ones. Thinking of a nice family holiday dinner and watching little kids' excitement at finding eggs made me miss it all. My kids said they would have liked to have eggs to find, but it's not the same watching 17 and 15 year old girls hunt for eggs! So, for a day, I wish I lived closer to home.

Poltergeist?

After discovering an open window in my basement yesterday (which couldn't have blown open, as it slids open sideways, nice thought tho), a couple other weird things happened. Ashley and I pulled into the garage after running some errands and heard music. The stereo that sits on a shelf in there was playing. Baffled, I went over and turned it off. Still wracking my brain trying to figure out the window thing, now I'm wondering how the stereo got turned on. Then while watching the news at 10:00, the electricity went out! The dog started scratching at the basement door, so I let her up, I hunted down a flashlight and the girls ended up down in my room. We waited for awhilel for the electricity to come back on, but I finally got too tired. Luckily there are cell phones and the girls found out the electricity was out in other parts of our town, not just our place or cul-de-sac, so I felt a little better about that. But I had 2 teenage girls sleep with me, along with Chester (lucky I have a king size bed), and the two big dogs slept on my floor. Ashley thinks it's poltergeist. I think it was just a weird twist of events!

Officially Freaked Out

Monday night I put Libbie down the basement as I headed to bed. She's not allowed to sleep on the main floor (or even upstairs with the kids) because she barks at everything. Don't feel bad for her, she sleeps on the couch. Anyway, the wind was howling and she started barking up a storm. I figured something was blowing against the basement windows. I yelled at her then went to bed. Yesterday I never made it down here, too busy. Today I came down to check my e-mail and thought it was awfully cold, when I looked at the window, which was wide open! So now I'm wondering how long it's been open and if someone opened it and that's what she was barking at. I promptly closed it and locked it and checked around the basement for anything weird or out of place. It's pretty messy right now, so it's hard to tell. Tonight, I will make sure ALL windows are closed and locked!

The Joke's on Me

Yesterday I got up at 6:15 and showered and got ready to go to Morgan's volleyball tournament. I was pretty excited because it was at our high school. No driving 2 - 3 hours south, so I didn't have to get up so steenkin early. I woke up the hubby and Morgan right about 7:00. Eric said my clock was screwed up. My clocks is a fawncy one that resets itself after the electricity will go off, you set your time zone so it changes during the Day Light Savings Time. There's no way it was wrong. Hubby's clock said 6:15, I went out to the kitchen and it said 5:57, I was confused. Then the hubby clued me in.....this was the original weekend for Day Light Savings time to spring forward. My clock reset itself at 2:00 a.m. I had gotten up needlessly at 5:15. I was not amused by the April Fools joke the government just played on me!