Mafia Maid Service?

Yesterday I was in my local 'everything for a dollar store' buying some nifty cookie tins for Littlest to provide baked goods for and 3V fake Tea Light batteries which they were out of and it was really annoying but anyway......

Ahead of me in the checkout line were two kind of scary, shifty acting men. One of them stood off to the side and looked antsy while the other stood in line. They were buying:

4 large rolls of adhesive packing/shipping tape.

2 Lint rollers

2 Swiffer type mops

and

Carpet Cleaner


The friendly cashier chuckled, 'Doing some cleaning huh'?

"Um, yeah," one of them answered with a blunt laugh, (it sounded like 'Heht' )"we do alot of,  uh, cleaning."


When I left the store I noticed them driving away in a vehicle with out of state tags.


I'm uh, going with, um, a Persian cat. They obviously have a Persian cat. The one I used to have did alot of shedding and couldn't find the litter box to save her life, bless her heart.

And they must be....shipping her to their mother as a Christmas Gift...yeah...that sound plausible...

...right...?


© 2012 All Rights Reserved by MOTPG

And I'm Still Not Packed

I have to leave on a business trip in a couple hours. I was hoping to write a fresh post and do a little visiting before I left but some unexpected circumstances borrowed my time and now I'm fresh out. Work calls and I'm off. This month is racing by, but while I'm gone please enjoy one of my favorite poems from one of my favorite poets, MacNeiece, before September is gone as well.

September

September has come, it is hers
Whose vitality leaps in the autumn,
Whose nature prefers
Trees without leaves and a fire in the fire-place;
So I give her this month and the next
Though the whole of my year should be hers who has
rendered already
So many of its days intolerable or perplexed
But so many more so happy;
Who has left a scent on my life and left my walls
Dancing over and over with her shadow,
Whose hair is twined in all my waterfalls
And all of London littered with remembered kisses.

Louis MacNeice
From Autumn Journal

See ya soon! Well not really...but maybe when I get back I will share the adventures of the ER on a Friday night : ) P.S. Everyone is fine.

Warning! Propaganda Proudly Posted Here!

Feminist and  political activist Naomi Wolf, author of  The Beauty Myth, has called for a boycott of the new Katy Perry video, Part of Me.  This was posted on her facebook page,

"Have you all seen the Katy Perry Marines video? It is a total piece of propaganda for the Marines...I really want to find out if she was paid by them for making it...it is truly shameful. I would suggest a boycott of this singer whom I really liked -- if you are as offended at this glorification of violence as I am."

Really Ms. Wolf?

We are not Katy Perry fans at our house. I would even say that in the past we have suffered from Katy Perry loathing. But this time around we felt differently. Littlest asked me to post this video a week ago and I hadn't got around to it yet. I was waiting for a way to work it in. Thanks Ms. Wolf.

I am appalled that a woman who claims she stands for empowerment of women would vilify this performer and video because of her own political views. Not to mention, characterizing the Marine Corp. as a violent institution as though it were a street gang engaged in arbitrary violence. Or could it really be that she thought she sensed a smidgen of patriotism in the video? A far as I can tell the song is about taking control of your own life , realizing and utilizing your strength.

Apparently joining the Marines is a bad role model for young women while the sexualization of them usually found in Ms. Perry's work is A-OK. Perhaps Ms. Wolf  prefers Katy Perry's song about being a teenage dream in skin tight jeans. Being a party girl is the road to self fulfillment. Gee, how did I miss that when I was teaching my daughters that they are strong, smart and capable of achieving anything. We better run out and buy some thongs and a keg, post haste. I've been doing it wrong.

I would like to say to Ms. Wolf that at this point in her life my youngest daughter is planning to join the Marines. She is making this decision with knowledge of her own power and beauty as a woman. A decision she is making with the help of role models serving our country in all of the armed forces. Real women of strength and beauty. I'm proud to say she doesn't know who you are. At least not yet. She isn't up yet. She's a little worn out from her class last night in how to protect herself from violence. Oh yeah, and possibly protect others from it too. And if she ultimately decides to, someday maybe she will be protecting her country from it as well. Protecting the lives of our people. Protecting our freedom. Protecting our speech. Even people like you Ms. Wolf.

Who is really spouting propaganda here? I say we boycott the BS.

and HUZZAH to Ms. Perry.

© 2012 All Rights Reserved by MOTPG





**Note: Yeah, I know. Be careful not to drown in the bubbles. As a rule, I Never get controversial on this blog. Just chalk this up to going out on a limb carved with the words, "Now you done pissed me off".....and I quit taking my estrogen because it was making me gain weight. Contrary ; ) points of view are welcome. Just ignore it if I burst into tears.

I Didn't Write This Week

I heard that sigh of relief all the way over here thank you ; )

Anyway, What have I been doing instead?

Well.

I'd like to say reading a good book. But I read a really lame one. Even more annoying,  I spent money on it which I normally don't do unless I already love it. But I grabbed it anyway when it caught my eye at the grocery store even though  I Know When It Says: New York Times Best Seller on it And it's At The Grocery Store there is a 90% chance it's going to be crap but all the FREE books I am hoping to read are checked out at the library and I'm on a waiting list so....I'm not going to say what book it was because the day I write a great novel I might have some ground to criticize.

Let's just say you could question the quality when you are so involved you stop reading in the middle of a paragraph in a Suspense Novel because you find an advertisement in the middle of the book and read it instead to see if it's one of those Free Books but then we keep sending you more to pay for scams...and it is...yeah....

I'm sure it has nothing to do with my Internet going out for a couple hours and being bored and noticing, Hey, this computer has some games on it with free trials and trying something called Black Hawk Striker 2 and becoming hopelessly addicted to it and after the internet is back up, paying for something called Wildcoins to continue to play it because Ms. G. likes to shoot at things and blow stuff up. Come on now. Be Serious.

 I have no idea who the person on the high score list called MOM is.......a total stranger .... maybe.... but her score actually moved up two slots last night after she defeated level 3 and she changed her name to The Mom. I forgot to update the picture before I she someone turned it off....

Perhaps I was inspired, because though I love my middle daughter, I was so pleased that when she moved she actually got all that mess of hers out of here and the absence of her stuff spread through every room in the house and the energy consumed in nagging her about it, galvanized me into action and I not only gutted 5 trash bags worth of crap I'd been hoarding in some cabinets, my entire house has been dusted, vacuumed, mopped, polished and scrubbed, including base boards, bed made and laundry caught up, Every. Day.

Oh Yes I Did!

Of course when I looked in the hall closet.....




 I realized by the stack of boxes shoved in that she didn't actually get Everything out of here and left behind this special box of treasures for safekeeping.



No. I didn't write a post even though I've been working from home this week and going to great lengths to not actually get dressed and leave the house, but I did spend some time in the yard.

 Look what my husband found.

Isn't that just the cutest thing?

I Did Not Say Aww! Can We Keep Him?...maybe...

i named him ed

Did we then carefully place him on the edge of the woods and stand over him for fifteen minutes waiting for him to move and discuss how worried we were about him and we hoped nothing would eat him and that he would have a long happy life and grow up to be a big strong turtle and start his own turtle family?
What do you think? ; )


Last of all it would not be a Ms. G random picture post without some FUNGI!!!

This is one of those times when I wish I was a better photographer or had a better camera

The rain left me this precious tiny gift. I don't think I've ever found one is this pale yellow shade before. It makes me think of a fancy yellow party skirt. It was tiny and fragile as tissue paper and wilted away before noon. But there were some new ones this morning : )

We also celebrated my sweet SeaMonkeys birthday!  I can't show any pictures from that but he wasn't thrilled and said he was getting old.  I told him he was getting just right because I'm coming up right behind him so he will always be just the right age for me. He said that made it worth it and I say, That's why I keep him : ) That and he shares his birthday brownies with me.

See Ya Later...!

I have some aliens to blow up Important paperwork to do.

Wandering off in the middle of typing to eat a brownie now........


© 2011 All Rights Reserved
 

Have I been Lazy? or just having too much fun?

 No actual real new post last week? Sporadic visiting and commenting?
Yes. That's me.
What have I been up to? Got another whole month to read it all? I lost track of everything that has been going on that I might write about because there is just so much of it. And then I had a migraine over the weekend. That was awesome fun.

Truly. It has nothing to do with my husband upping the cable service for the summer.
I promise.

I watched the best movie the other day. My Best friend. The link is to a pretty good review of it that I agreed with because I doubt I would have liked this movie if it had been made in America. It was in french. I don't speak a lick of french but it went slow so it was easy to keep up with the subtitles.  I loved it. Oh, and did you know a movie can scare the pants off you even if it's in Korean and you don't speak Korean?

Those Walton's sure were some cute kids weren't they? I always wanted to be one of them when I was a kid.....what? oh. anyway....

Here are some things I've been doing.

1. Taking the dog to the vet because something bit him and his face swelled up in a frightening manner which is apparently an allergic reaction and then spending a week making him take pills. One was prednisone. Do you know what it does to dogs? It makes them pee. ALOT. And suddenly. Do you have an idea how much a 125 lb dog can pee? Guess what I woke up to, next to my bed, one morning last week?  I thought I had been transported to Niagara Falls in my sleep. At first I thought my husband was running the faucet in the bathroom at full blast, but why did it sound like it was right next to the bed? Yeah. That was fun.

2. Taking the kids to the doctor for a check-up. They behaved rather well. Until they told Middlest she had to have routine blood work. And then she cried. Which was an improvement. Last year she cried and hid in the restroom. She is terrified of needles after a surgery a few years ago and multiple tests that involved needles. And then they had Littlest bend over to check her spine. Every year they give it a second glance and then say, "uh, has she ever been checked by orthopedics?" And I say no, and they kind of blow it off. This is a new doctor. He looked at it and asked if anyone had ever checked it and then he said, "I'm going to do an x ray." Which is when Littlest came unglued. Because scoliosis can disqualify you for the Marines. And she continued to unravel as they took her out. After she left I explained to the doctor and told him she was probably close to hysterical. He went out to check on it and when they came back her face was red and her eyes were swollen and the doctor looked embarrassed. He kind of shuffled his papers around and said, "it was only about 2 % down near the base. They probably will never notice. I'm not even going to put it in her records."
Thank you Doc. And Yeah. That was fun.

3. Giving my house a serious cleaning. Because we are looking for a refinance and appraisers would be coming thru. Everything looked great except for Mid who was dragged out of bed earlier than she wished and ensconced herself on the couch wrapped up in a blanket, without even brushing her hair, and pretty much looked like she would bite anyone who came near her and didn't even acknowledge they were in the room as they tried to snap pictures all around her without getting her in one. I couldn't decide whether I was annoyed or if it was fun. Maybe a little of both.

4. Oh and all three girls wanted a haircut. The two oldest, both with the long long dark hair wanted bangs. And they didn't know the other asked. So I did it. And then I told them they looked like the Bobsey Twins. And now the 24 year old looks 13 and the almost 18 year old actually looks well...almost 18, which is kind of a relief. And youngest one with the short light hair wanted to go even shorter. And then she said she looked like a guy. Even though she said a very nasty thing to Mid when she told her she would look like a guy if she cut it shorter. But she also said she liked it and No One Cried! Even Biggest.
Which is also a relief and it was kind of fun.

5. I decided to quit complaining about the heat and everything else and actually go outside and look out for some of my blessings that I don't always appreciate. Because I actually walked outside yesterday and blurted the words: "Oh God it's hot. I live in Hell."  So I better cover myself just in case the Lord decides I need to learn a lesson about the difference.
 I am blessed.

I have some lovely views if I take the time to look at them.
 Like this cool naturally framed composition.

And what I fell in love with the moment I first saw this house.

I Have Kitties!!!

This is Voo ( Not the french vous of course because I don't speak french)

Just Voo like Boo..except not.

 who is 12 and still going strong. He's my favorite ; )

And this is my magical 6 toed kitty that was left at my house last fall by the faeries.

And this is Lits cat that was born under her bed and is the youngest

but thinks that he can boss everyone else.

 Hm. Just noticed something...

(and yes that is totally dead grass)

And this one who is responsible for the one above because Biggest brought her home when she was 16 and didn't get her fixed in time like she promised and we ended up with her because the Seamonkey couldn't bear to give her away because she did such a great job as a momma.

(and we ended up paying for her spay ourselves.)

She also didn't want her picture taken because she is in her summer coat and it's not as pretty but I chased her around the porch until I got one anyway.

And of course, Serena Miserina who is not serene at all but tried to take my leg off the other day because she thought I was putting her on the porch. I was.

Now my yard is in tough shape this year. We had a hard winter and a scorcher summer so far and not much is thriving. I didn't plant anything at all.

But the other day I noticed a new plant growing in my front yard.

It's a pumpkin vine!

Maybe a little gift to remind me that summer isn't forever.

My favorite- fall is coming. It always does.

Now I think I will go back inside and watch some tv visit somemore blogs today!

Yeah. Now that really does sound like fun : )


© 2011 All Rights Reserved
 

Like A Ball Of Yarn Unraveling

That is what my brain has felt like the last couple days.

Recently I found myself with an unusual amount of free time that I used to join several communities i will probably visit twice. After a fit of hyperactivity that included joining sites, participating in prompts,  visiting new blogs and posting several posts in a row, I have hit a brick wall. I have so much in my head right now and I can't sort it out and put it into any kind of order. Not that I do anyway. But worse than usual. I haven't even commented much the last few days because I read and just can't find the way to form what I want to say. After a few times when I felt I was spewing utter nonsense I decided I'd be better off remaining mostly silent. Mostly.

I am working on a post about Localism (Yes, I know that is not a real word). In relation to myself. I am working on it and trying to edit it down a little becasuse it is kind of rambling and I get off the main point in it several times. I should do that right? Try to keep it to the point? Shouldn't I? Or would that change my voice?

I've read a lot about finding your own voice. I think I have done that. The thing is, I have more than one voice. My voice may depend on my mood or what I have to say. Which is the right one? That's just it. They all are.

Sometimes I'm in a silly mood and look at the humorous side of things. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I make a real effort to write something with some quality. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I get tired of looking at my last post and post whatever is in my head. What the hell am I doing here? Whatever I want. If I don't have anything pertinent to say I'll just post something random. Sometimes I try to be careful with grammar and form...sometimes I don't. You might find anything from a serious essay to some Really Bad Poetry, or a song I'm in the mood for. I find inspiration everywhere. I enjoy reading blogs by a large array of very different types of people.  I was prompted to do the Localism post by a comment from my friend Susan of Susan Fobes' Family Formula on this post. I also was thinking of writing a post inspired by a comment by Linda Medrano on this post. I was thinking of calling it "that time I smoked pot" it is a true and cautionary tale that will scare the crap out of your kids. Well maybe. I waited too long to tell it to my oldest and my other two seem to find it amusing. It is kind of amusing. In a terrifying kind of way. I'll think about that one. I like Linda. I discovered her recently or she found me...something like that.  She also is a regular with Erica at Free Fringes. Have you been by there? You should. She is not only excellent on her own, she also has a fun thing going on called Love Links where people link up smaller blogs and then we read and comment and vote on them. Go here at Free Fringes for the latest details on how it works. I also met this Blogger Kelly Garriott Waite, from Writing in the Margins Bursting at the Seams , at Love Links, the other day.

She passed me the Versatile Blogger Award. Wasn't that nice? She has been writing this blog since February and I enjoyed spending some time in her archives today. I think this is her first blog, I didn't see mention of another. You should go by and read. She is Very Good. I like it. If Blogger ever releases everyone's Followers from captivity I will be Following her.  Go! Visit!

Where was I? See...like a sieve...anyway...

Advice on creating a professional blog will tell you find a focal point. A main reason for blogging. There are so many reasons people choose to blog  There are people with serious goals whether it be writing, starting a business, whatever. Expert Blogs. How To blogs. Funny Blogs. Serious Blogs, Reviewers, Mom Blogs, Journals. I have always said I do not have a real purpose. I am not a writer but I like to write. I write about my teenagers but I don't tell you the latest theories on how to deal with them. I don't actually read the theories on how to deal with them anymore. I don't do reviews, I don't give tips, I don't use social media, I don't try to 'sell' my blog. I hear the word 'Brand' used a lot. I guess I am a Mom Blog. But, that's not all I am. I am a journal blog and a..well, that's just it..

Spin spin spin. That's my head. I can't really focus on anything in particular and have spent the day doing things like wandering off in the middle of folding towels to eat a brownie. Still. Last night when I was too tired to write, too tired to read, too tired to watch tv but bored nonetheless,  I decided to get out my World Famous Microsoft Paint Box and amuse myself. I had just gotten used to the old one when  I received a new computer and now it's fancier and I had to figure it out all over again.

I thought, I know what I need! I need my own community! I need to create my own space for my blog to fit. Something that defines what I do because I am multi faceted. I am Multi Purpose, or No Purpose, I am scattered, I am Free From Form.

 I am...I am...

<a border="0" href="http://momoftheperpetuallygrounded.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx170/motpg/FreeFormBlog3.png" /></a><br /> <br /> </div><br /> <br /> <br /> <br />




And I know I'm not the only one. Grab a button if you would like to be a part of my community. You do not have to do anything or be anything to be a part of this group. Even if your blog has a purpose you can be a member. Because it's random. We don't even have a place to meet. We are Free to scamper about the internet wreaking havoc on Form and Function!

I am also up way past my bedtime right now and am too tired to proof read this anymore so I'm sure it will do.

  If enough random people volunteer I will make us a Random Page of Links. Otherwise,  I won't. I'll just wander off in the middle of typing and have a brownie.


OOPS! An Oversight!

For The Mombshell

This post has been Ninja Love Linked at Free Fringes


© 2011 All Rights Reserved

By The Light......

I am back. And wore out. but this week was a pretty good one even in the light of...well, the moon.


Biggest called. She said,

My house is on fire! I don't know what to do! I heard a funny noise behind my dresser and I pulled it out and there were sparks coming out of the plug and I grabbed the cord to pull it out and then flames shot up the wall and DecentGuy isn't here and I have all these animals and the wall is all black and I don' t know what to do!

Now we all know the first thing you obviously do when your house is on fire.

You call your mother.

I Said,

Hang on a minute, I'll get your Dad....

(It was fine. bad cord and Friday the 13th)


Littlest has been working out and lifting weights. With a history of gymnastics she was already pretty strong and now she is powerful and she looks incredible.  She also occasionally has some issues with anger and self control.  So like any good parents we decided to support her interest and nurture her talents. We signed her up for a Jiujitsu class. She is very excited. She thinks it will help with her goal of being a Marine. Middlest was not pleased. She declared,

"No! You can't let her learn that. She will hurt me!"

We reassured her. " No she won't. Don't worry. If she does we will call the police."

......what?

Anyway.
For the first time ever we traveled and left the girls home on their own.  ( With secret surprise visits from their sister and my MIL.) They really wanted to prove that they were trustworthy and mature enough to take care of things. We were nervous wrecks but we finally agreed. After all Middlest will be eighteen in August and as she said, "I have to be alone at some point in my life." Which is true. I have tried to teach her basic life skills. Like cooking eggs and sorting the laundry before using the washer. But then, she is the one who called after we left because the washer was making a funny noise.  I thought all that was caught up and wondered what she was washing? Two bra's....and a backpack....yeah...anyway.  After that I felt better about leaving them a large supply of microwaveable Ramen and Beef-a-Roni to eat rather than meals that required a stove.  I left them them a detailed list of things to do to fill their every moment and exact times to check in and about 2 full pages of instructions. Including taking care of the dogs. Making sure they were fed correctly, let out often enough and that people/cat food was not left out where they could get to them and get sick.

The first day I sent a text to ask what they were up to. I received this 2 part message from Middlest:

Msg. 1: Throwing a Wild Party
Msg. 2: With Fabio

Later I made sure to let them know we arrived safely. because I know they were on pins and needles worrying about it. I sent the text:

We are here!

To which Littlest replied:

Cool. We're in Vegas.

Which gave me a moments pause because we just updated our wills and left Biggest in charge of everything if we die and also left her a hefty check to cover things temporarily in the event the worst happens.

But Karma was alive and well and the next morning when I sent a text to make sure they got up for school because I Knew They Wouldn't. I received this answer from Littlest:

"Yes. We are up. And one of the dogs got sick and messed all over the house!"

And I was far away. Even though I was in for a long day of work ahead of me, there would be a nice dinner and a quiet clean room at the end of it. One of those moments when you stretch and sigh for a moment leaning back on comfy hotel feather pillows with a small smile because you know, Ah!

Life Is Good!

When our work was through I sent a text letting them know we were heading home. To which I received this reply from Middlest:

You guys are gone for not even three days and i gut my room, quit smoking, finish my work,  and overcome a crushing depression. You need to go away more often.

I said, Ok.

Besides, tells on herself for smoking when she has already been busted for it once. Obviously the same young woman that, when asked,  " it's three weeks to graduation, have you finished your grade recovery and brought up your math grade?"  Answered: "Yes... i....think....so....."


Oh Wait! Biggest just called me. She said her clients are all crazy and she is having a nervous breakdown! She just needed to vent for a moment.

You know what I'm gonna do now?



Moon Music

© 2011 All Rights Reserved

In Which We Get Lame In Our Old Age

Last July I wrote this post about My Summer Vacation.

My family wore me down until I agreed on our plans.

When our golden retriever died our Big Dog was heartbroken and lonely. So we got a little puppy.

For Him.

We found one and patiently waited for him to be 8 weeks old so that we could bring him home. It had been a long time since we had a baby puppy in the house.

9 Weeks

 We have always loved our dogs and vaguely remembered how old they were by how old the kids were and the approximate time of year we got them. We never tried to keep up with something like a birthday for a dog. ....or freaked out because they threw up and spend $300.00 to get them tested only to find out they had eaten an acorn. Or ask and pay for special soup bones at the grocery instead of just regular chew bones.  Or purchase special food bowls and food and measure it out carefully twice a day and soak it in water for exactly 15 minutes...because we became paranoid about bloat.  And wait till they finish to wipe their face with a paper towel.

They have always been an important part of the family but we would never dress them up... and then take pictures of them...or blog about it...




At 6 Months

Biggest says that at work they have noticed this is a special type of empty nest syndrome. Even if they haven't all left yet,  when the children begin to grow up and definitely when they move out, perfectly sane clients who have been bringing their dogs in for years, and treating them like dogs, start to lose their minds. They start with a new puppy. And they spoil it rotten and treat it better than like one of their children.

We of course would never do something like that.

But as long as I already blogged about getting My Summer Vacation last year and dressed him up for Halloween because my kids were too old and posted it on my blog I thought I would update on him.


Because it's his Birthday!

Our Baby puppy is One Year Old!

He grew a little bit



Of Course the Seamonkey hasn't been calling him "The Birthday Boy" all week and planning to make a giant hamburger for us all to share with him......

ok...he has....

 BUT Under No Circumstances Will I

 

oh never mind.....

; )

 

Tuesday in January, 9:00 AM

I am clinging to the storm clouds. Pulling them closer with sheer will. 6:30 has stayed for the day. I can't say I'm not pleased.  I am grasping the moments with my sweaters. Counting down the days I can layer myself in soft warmth. Glad for excuses to stay inside. 90% of the lines in my face an etching carved by squinting in the sun. It is a relief to relax my face and peer out without light glancing off the world and piercing my pupils. Behind the mist a cold breeze to warm my soul. I am hoarding winter like gold. Waiting for the bizarre twist of fall in February. Because before long it will be creeping up on me. It has already started.  This beauty is almost magical in it's arrival. A fairy gift amid the crunch of tardy foliage. But it is the signal.

Time..time...time swings a sickle to harvest the frost and plant the spring indelibly in my yard.

This photo of a camellia was taken on a run of the mill digital camera with no thought for composition, light, or angle. It may be blurry because I was stomping around the yard in a rain shower wearing my pajama's and fake Uggs and I can't see a darn thing on that stupid screen. I used no Photo Shop software to clear it, crop it, or adjust; color, contrast and depth because I didn't have time for that.  I had to work on quarterly reports and then I pulled all the furniture out in my bedroom and vacuumed behind it and under my bed. Yes I did. And I don't have Photo Shop.

ENJOY!

Now I'm going to take a shower, eat Sweet Sixteen Little White Donuts for lunch and take a nap.
Yes I am.


© 2010 All Rights Reserved
 

Texts From the Edge...Of Reason and the Season

There has been a lot going on the past week. So much that I have trouble keeping track and forming it in to a post. So I looked back at some of the texts we have been sending.


Mid and Big:

Mid: What do you want for Christmas?

Big: I want Adam Ant. But I want Adam Ant 20 years ago.....so you will have to build a time machine first....


Me and Littlest: Lit was staying after school to help with set up on a performance and then staying until we pick her up at 9 P.M. We are not late night people.
Afternoon.

Me: Are you Ok?

Lit: No...I'm dead..

Me: Does this mean we can return your gift?

Lit: No. Just bury me with it.

Later when Mid and I have come to pick her up:

Me: We are here. Come out or we are coming in to get you wearing our pajama's.

Lit: I would like to because this is awful but I can't get out, I'm sitting up high.

Mid: Walk out. Or I'm coming in wearing a blanket and a beanie!


Me and Big:

Me: If you don't tell me what the two of you want I am going to buy you matching Christmas sweaters.

Big: I don't  know !!!!

Me: and plaid suspenders.

And a Proverb from Mid while Christmas shopping

Mid: Bitch about the devil and it will corner you in Hot Topic.

Which was Karma for saying nasty things about people she used to like and now can't stand while on her way to the mall.

Of course Big called me this week. At 9 o'clock at night. On a diatribe about some people who abandoned a 5 foot boa constrictor in a cold house with no food. It was of course safe at her house now. Which is when I gave her a lecture about keeping it tightly contained or it would warm up and eat one of her cats or something. She told me she knew what she was doing. The snake was barely moving, it wasn't going anywhere.

Come to think of it....I haven't heard from her since then... ; )

I actually have completed my Christmas shopping! Sort of. It is a good thing because my car was recalled and I made an appointment over a week in advance for a day I could leave it at the dealership. Because I needed it back ASAP. Which would be yesterday. When they took it and then called 5 hours later and said they didn't have the correct part. Most of the cars have the part that they keep in stock but mine was "special." They would have to overnight it and work on it today. Then they said, while it was there they kindly took a look around it and noticed that several things, like some belts and my brakes and some filters and the fuel injection were in pretty bad shape and might be a safety issue. While they were waiting for the part they would be happy to replace all of this for a grand total of $749.52.
To which we said, No ThankYou. How about you just fix the safety issue that your company created. The one that involves bad soldering and the engine possibly stopping without warning. Then we called the place we usually get work done and gave them the list of things and they told us they could fix all that for $240.00.

Now this morning something miraculous happened. The dealership called at 7:30 A.M. and my car is already finished. Why, they must have had that part brought in on the wings of angels and elves must have worked on it all night to get it done so early. Since I needed it ASAP. The SeaMonkey had already left for a job. I'm trapped here now. Those poor elves worked so hard for my car to sit in the parking lot all day till I get a ride up there. Now I would have liked to finish up a few spare gifts because I decided that Biggest and DecentGuy need some socks. What are they going to do if I don't get them some socks for Christmas.
 It's a tragedy that's what it is?

I guess I will do some wrapping today. And maybe even vacuum....

Hey, I was looking for the moon night before last and I couldn't find it....
   
where'd it go.....?

© 2010 All Rights Reserved

Moon Eclipse Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZrL84dsMNI&feature=related

Chill

Ok.
It was report card time here this week so I pretty much have had a migraine since Tuesday and I don't want to write about the kids. Because that migraine needs to stay away. It was a memorable one. Woke up at 4 A.M. and continued thru Wednesday  in the kind of pain that makes you google aneurysm and brain tumor just to make sure.

Anyway. I'm a little wore out, have unfinished chores piled as high as my dusty chandelier and I have to work away from home over the weekend. One of those out of town but not far enough to warrant staying over jobs so I get to hit the highway and sit till my legs fall asleep and then have to work.

On the bright side, we will have a high of 65 today so I did a happy dance in my Real Shoes and now I'm literally and figuratively chilling out for a little while. I'm taking my weekend today. Which means I'm taking a nap.

If you haven't been by yet and feel like reading a serious post I have one below or you can kick your real shoes off, grab your cup of tea and listen along with me to one of my personal top 10. My all time favorite Eagles song. And then maybe take a nap.

I'll take it to the limit tomorrow.

I decided to include 2 versions just as an example that real talent and skill never fades. It just gains some weight and gets a haircut.








Eagles-Take It to the Limit-Houston 1976
  Explore more music videos.

What's your favorite Eagles song? You know you have one.

It's 12:30 P.M.

And this is how my day has gone so far.

I woke up at 5 as always.
At 5:30 Littlest refused to get out of bed because she was tired. She is required to go to school today unless she is dieing because there is a reading tonight and she has to attend. She didn't get up until 6:15. We leave at 6:50. She decided to inflict her mood on the entire household.

 I actually cleaned out the fridge. I took everything apart and couldn't remember how it went back in.

Then I spent 10 minutes wandering around looking for a pair of slacks that I know I washed but can't find anywhere and the search was hampered because I couldn't see anything because I had set my glasses down somewhere and......oh, they were on top of my head.

Then I remembered the book the Littlest was supposed to have for class a month ago and that I forgot about for 2 weeks and then had to order and wait 2 more weeks that was supposed to be in on the ninth and they would call me but no on ever did. So I called and it was there and I had to drive twenty minutes to a store I was one block from yesterday doing another errand.

Before I left I got annoyed because my husband took my grocery store discount card yesterday and didn't give it back so I called him and he said he left it by the front door and I thought, oh good and left without it.

So I drove all the way home after the book store to get it. I had to pee anyway.

Then I didn't have a list but even so, like a good wife I remembered that I didn't see my husbands favorite dressing which is the kind that has to be refridgerated, when I cleaned the fridge so even though I had passed it already I made a special trip back to the front of  the store to get it and hit a spill from the deli and ended up in a half split in front of the flower department. I have bad knees already. My first thought was embarrassment but then I looked up and No One was around and the only thing that seemed to hurt was my big toe, which was covered along with my sandals with the chicken slime I slipped on. I made my way to the check out to tell someone but at that moment a corgi came running into the store by itself and the lady I was trying to tell was distracted and ignored me so when the manager came over to see the dog I had to practically yell to get her attention and tell her about the spill before someone really got hurt and was hoping to at least get a paper towel to wipe the sludge off my foot but finally gave up and wiped it on my grocery bags and continued on. Except for when I had to back track to the salad dressing again because I forgot about it.

I had a $10 off $50 coupon and I spent $49.05.
 So I bought 2 candy bars to offset it. The checkout lady asked how I was and I said fine even though my knee was starting to twinge because I didn't want to steal the spotlight away from the corgi who was sitting in a shopping cart with a crowd of admirers waiting for it's owner.

On the way home I Almost got to see this. Two really conscientious moms on bikes. One with a baby in a seat and one with a small child on one of those attached bikes decide to cross at a 5 way intersection against the crosswalk signal almost get creamed by the mayor driving an SUV wearing her signature pink ball cap. But she saw them in time. But not before they scared the hell out me.

Finally I am home. When I opened the back of the car my milk had leaked everywhere.

I forgot to put the dog out before I left and he peed on his bed.

Biggest just called and asked if I would drive her home and I told her no. And she asked why. So I loudly told her why. Then she hung up on me.

It's 1:09 now because since I've started Biggest has called once, my husband has called twice and Mid has sent me two text messages and I've had to stop and bring the dog in because he was barking. I think I left the salad dressing in the car. My knee is starting to throb.

Middlest just sent me a text asking why the day was going so slow.

?

Why do I smell chicken?


© 2010 All Rights Reserved

Slovenly Sunday

Hello. It's just me, Ms. G. It's 2:45 P.M. and do you know what? I'm still not dressed yet. I don't see the point at this point because I'm not going anywhere today except back to bed later. I ate 6 Sweet Sixteen powdered donuts for breakfast and chocolate cake for lunch. I've drank approximately 15 cups of tea but it hasn't done much for my energy level. I did some laundry but that consisted of getting up from the computer for 5 minute switches and getting back on it again. I wanted to catch up on my blog reading because I haven't had much time. Friday I worked out of town and yesterday I decided to bring all three of my daughters to the mall in an attempt to make them stop crying. That appears to have worked for 2 out of 3 of them. I had Biggest do my housework on Friday and  paid her for it since she didn't work this week and yesterday we bought her new work uniforms...because her daddy said to because her Dad thought it might perk her up and get her back to work. He might be afraid they ( and their 3 dogs and 5 cats) will lose their house and move in with us. I went with her to buy them because she would end up spending the money on something like cat food. Anyway the mall trip went well considering it was my daughters. Though they did spend some time speculating about the woman in her 40's in Hot Topic wearing short shorts and a tight Hawaiian Punch T-shirt buying bra's...in Hot Topic. There was the "buying them for her daughter" faction and the "no, did you see how she was dressed" faction. I really didn't want to think about it myself. So I distracted them with neon green suspenders before one of them decided to ask her themselves and got the heck out of there. I still am not caught up on my blog reading because it has been going very slowly. I wear multifocal lenses and for some reason lately my glasses make me feel like I'm carrying bricks on my face and I keep trying to wipe them off so I decided to try multifocal contacts. And do you know what? I can't see a damn thing but I refuse to give up! I still have a lot of blogs I need to catch but it is taking me so long to read them that my back hurts and laying around on the couch is starting to sound good. I think I will.

What? No, I didn't brush my hair either. I put it up in a knotty thingy.

Anyone do anything worthwhile and productive with their Sunday? Tell me about it. Make me feel useless or this might become a habit.

© 2010 All Rights Reserved

Just Me

Hi,
This is just me. Ms. G.
Which I sometimes refer to myself as in my blog. I'm thinking about changing my blogging/comment name to that. Motpg is just what I started using when I first started blogging and needed to sign on and didn't feel like writing out my whole blog name. I didn't give it any thought. What do you think? Would it be too confusing to change now?
I'm changing my husbands blog name to SeaMonkey. I should have thought of that sooner. I like sea monkeys and I like him and he is...well...a sea monkey in a way.

I don't have any stories or silliness to share today. I'm just hanging out waiting for a load of laundry to dry. I am bored out of my skull so this might be the most boring post ever but it beats folding the clothes. It finally hit under 90 today which is nice but not nice enough. We are supposed to be getting some heavy rain today which I am very pleased about but so far it's just been overcast. We are supposed to be getting some good waves too. My husband is usually very excited about that but he twisted his bad knee and as a result decided to become addicted to Halo instead. Then he decided to by a new TV. Then he decided to hook up the new big screen to his computer and play Halo on it. He's behind me right now and the red team has the flag! I'm looking....he's on the red team, that's good. Littlest is at the Library visiting her Anime club and Middlest is on the couch...watching TV and eating bugles. I don't know where Biggest is but she called me earlier and put the phone up so I could hear a tiny kitten meowling and then tried to give me the kitten. I told her to quit squeezing kittens, they're not lemons... and thats mean. She said she wasn't, he just wanted to come home with me. I can see my Summer Vacation with a tiny kitten.....he weighs about 38 lbs. now.  He eats rocks....and dirt....and roots....and dust bunnies. He cost me a fortune last week because of a stomach ache.

The younger girls had their first week of school and seem pleased enough with their classes. I can't believe I have a high school senior. My oldest didn 't go the conventional route so this is a first. We had her Senior pictures done a couple weeks ago but I haven't seen them yet. My sister is going to be on a TV show tonight  and I'm looking forward to that but I can't tell you what show it is because it would divulge her name and location which kind of sucks but she is on because of something she was part of several years ago and She Rocks. I am really looking forward to going to bed and watching it there.

Do you know what I can see when I look up through the window in front of me? Oak trees. Really huge gorgeous ones. I love them. Whenever I look at them I feel blessed. Whenever my husband looks at them he worries they will fall through the roof one day. I wouldn't mind. I chose them, not the house when we moved in. Impractical, I know.
Game over. uh oh! Oh wait, it starts over.
Well....I hear the dryer dinging.

How are you doing? What are you up to? Have you finished your laundry yet?


© 2010 All Rights Reserved

Yeah.........

So..... they sent me home! Good thing,  because I have to work out of town all next week and now I can flood my blog with posts this week to get it out of my system. Tomorrow I have A Very Long Post. So make a Pot of tea if you are going to sit long enough to read it.
 I saw a lot of good stuff I want to read but am saving it all for morning when I can peruse at my leisure.  Here is a random list of thoughts.

1. Court is a scary place and though it was interesting i am glad i didn't have to stay there and decide the fate of scary people.

2. Middlest waited till the last minute to decide to go to prom,which is this friday. All the dresses were on sale. Littlest picked the perfect dress for her and it was marked down $70.00 % off. She fell in love with a pair of "Perfect" shoes that were originally $55.00 bucks and marked down to $20.00, but they were out of her size. She froze in the chair and refused to move without those shoes. A fairy Godmother with a name tag on finally walked up and said"I actually do have 1 pair in the back in your size but some one left a mark on them so I had to put them away for no sale as defective." Middlest said I don't care as long as I get those shoes, I'm probably only wearing them once. And she got them for $15.00. And the scuff is on the bottom, you can't see it. So I got off amazingly cheap and middlest is going to prom, even though she doesn't have a date because she dumped her boyfriend. But she is going to be stunning. I can't wait to dress her up, it's like having a life size Barbie Doll. When Middlest was little Biggest and I used to make her up sometimes just to freak ourselves out.

3. I need to Thank Oikology 101 at this link for the instructions on making my  blog button. This was the easiest I found after trying forever!
It took me two extra days because I am ornery and bullheaded and refused to accept that I couldn't do it with picasa because I have this weird quirk (psychosis) about registering for things and I just didn't want to have to remember another username and password but I finally caved and have a button. I don't even care whether anyone grabs it I'm just tickled with it myself.

4. Umm, I forgot what 4 was gonna be and I'm hungry......so yeah...Later!

5. Oh wait, A long time ago in the dark ages of fall when I started this I listed 3 books for helping with teen problems. They are all useful. In particular this one: Parenting Your Out Of Control Teen by Scott P.  Sells was a GodSend to me. I was reading all kinds of stuff and when I found this I was so relieved because a lot of what it covers was exactly what we were experiencing and it was the first time I had found things put this way. It made perfect sense. I found it a little late in the game with my oldest but was still able to put some of it to use and I learned some techniques that are very useful with my other daughters too. I highly recommend it if you are having problems with your teen. Even if you aren't read it anyway, just in case! That's All!

© 2010 All Rights Reserved

Weird Wednesday

It's been a weird week so far...

Heard in my kitchen from a 14 and a 16 year old.
L: Walking in holding a pair of black flats. "These paper towels are so strong and soft.
     They're  almost too nice to clean dirt off my shoes with."
10 minutes later
M:  Frying eggs, "These paper towels are exceptionally fluffy"
Me: (thinking) This is weird. Can we get paid for this.
(Footnote: I always buy cheapest on sale. Never bought Viva before. It is strong & soft, now we're spoiled.)

My clothes washer broke and was stuck on fill for about 3 hours and no one happened to walk passed the den which was filling with water through the wall. The rest of the house has old wide plank floors that can really take a beating, this is the only room that has newer wood veneer. I mean had.....

 A couple weeks ago I bought us each a bag with 10 pairs of socks in it. During the past week I have noticed....that I have no socks.

Over the weekend Biggest and DecentGuy came over and cooked out. Middlests' boyfriend, (we all call him Arnie even though it's not his real name, so I will use it here, Biggest named him that), came too. I'm looking around at this family. All these people are so big. There are boys....actually young men in my house. It was .....well weird.

Littlest was stressing at school and said she got a hall pass to hide in the bathroom and cry. When she got there all the stalls were filled....with girls crying. She headed to another, the entrance door was locked and she could hear the sobbing. She sneaked to the back stairs. Crying girl already on the step. Headed to another quiet hall, older boy staring into space like he lost his best friend. She asks if he's ok. He hangs his head, sighs, yeah I'm fine. By that time Littlest was over it. I know this is a school for the arts but could they All have been "Drama" students.

Or is it the full moon.

Text from Middlest in a completely different high school: "That girl that was picking on me last week is sitting in the hall crying her eyes out, it must be Karma" 

Or maybe it's Drama.

 Text conversation with Biggest :
B:   I think I'm Catherine Linton..... from Wuthering Heights.....
  Me: You just noticed this?
B:   I'm at the part when she is having a tantrum because she says she is dying and  no one is         paying attention  so she tears the the pillow up.
  Me: Yep, that is familiar..
B:   I Love Her
  Me: You and Heathcliff

Other Text conversation to L who stayed after school for an activity:
Me: Check in with me.
L: Meh
Me: That'll do
L: Can I go to dinner with my friend, (Who I have never heard of) the answer is no, right.
Me: Yes, the answer is no.
L: Ur Mean
Me: Yep
Why did she ask?  Like I'm going to forget the rules or randomly change them.

Biggest works with animals and as a result collects them. She has a tiny dollhouse with 3 dogs, 4 indoor cats, 2 birds, I lost count of fish and turtles, and several outdoor cats that just show up (I think people are on to her) and she whisks them off to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated, then puts them back in her yard and feeds them.
On her day off she called and was having a fit because animal control had been through and picked up a new cat that showed up a few days ago and that luckily wasn't invested in yet. She ranted about someone probably calling and she couldn't believe this...it was such a nice kitty...she wanted to keep it...yadayada..

Five minutes after she hung up she called me back and said her animals were driving her crazy. They wouldn't behave and she was about ready to ship them all off to the pound......

Ok.

She is the pound, it will never happen. When her husband came home she probably told him they needed to drive to town and spring the other cat.

Middlest.....Middlest.....Middlest currently has an A in Algebra  and an F in AP English.....and she's been singing in tune...... and she's had the same boyfriend for 6 months......I think someone must have picked her up and turned her upside down and shook her real hard......that's the only reasonable explanation.......

Like a kaleidoscope...........yeah...

Spring Break starts here tomorrow....

Moon Music






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