House Hunters

So, here we are in Florida - finally! School ended Friday, and by Saturday, we'd hopped on a jet plane and found ourselves in Ft Myers...we've had a delicious seafood dinner at the Lighthouse Marina restaurant, and tomorrow we begin our quest to find a new house!

I'm looking for lot, location and lay-out...the lot has to be water-side; location has to be in a good area with good schools; and the layout better be flat - no stairs!!!

I'm exhausted - so early to bed for me...I promise to post pics later when I'm not using my iPad to post...which, by the way, is awesome to travel with!!

Take care, peeps! Hug a veteran tomorrow!

Peace.

The Dirty Song Chairman

I’ve been slowly and steadily still unpacking boxes from our big move last November. I’m down to the boxes that weren’t priority – where sometimes, it’s a total surprise when I see the contents, as in, “Oh! So THAT’S where this has been this whole time!”

This week, I stumbled across a box full of some of my old scrapbooks…which meant that unpacking came to a screeching halt, as I just HAD to sit down and start going through them to reminisce a bit.

Several of the scrapbooks were from my college days…and before I knew it, I was laughing out loud at some of the photos, cards, notes, etc that littered the pages.

When I went off to school, I had a desire to meet people and make new friends…and so it didn’t take long for me to pledge a sorority.

Now, my college was rather small, and so I had a huge, whopping choice of two sororities to choose from…. Okay, actually, that’s not true. I didn’t have a choice. My grandmother was a Chi Omega, and that just happened to be one of the sororities on campus – and so I was a legacy. I was a Chi-O from birth. If I’d even thought about pledging the other-sorority-which-will-remain-nameless, my grandmother would be haunting me still.

Being in a sorority was pretty awesome. Not only did I meet a wonderful group of girls, I also learned many things about myself…some of which I can actually speak of without blushing. For instance, I learned that I was an excellent Social Chairman – and to this day, I can plan one hell of an event. (Hence my mother’s continued nudging to be my sister’s wedding planner, which is still so not happening.)

Now you’re curious, huh? As to what else I learned that would cause me to blush. Okay...I’ll confess…In addition to my “official” duties, I had an “unofficial” title: I was the Dirty Song Chairman. I had an uncanny ability to make up some rather…um...salty…songs that were always good for a laugh.

While browsing through one of my scrapbooks, I came across the lyrics of a song that my sorority sisters wrote for me as a tribute when I graduated. Now, keeping in mind that my major was Education – with a minor in Psychology (I wanted to teach Psych/Sociology in high school), here is the song in tribute to me, sung to the tune of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!” from Mary Poppins:

Super paranoia, schizophrenic and psychotic,
You should hear all (Drama Queen’s) songs,
We think the word’s, ‘erotic’...
Now she is a school teacher,
and not a bit neurotic,
Super paranoia, schizophrenic and psychotic!

She’s cute and smart and friendly,
A better Chi-O can't be found...
Boy she really knows her stuff,
And her mind’s quite sound.

But think about it carefully
And it will blow your lids...
The ex-dirty song chairman
Will be teaching all our kids!

Ahhhh, the memories….

Yes, won't my children be so proud to hear that their mother was the Dirty Song Chairman back in her day?!?! And don't worry - I'm not ABOUT to post any of the dirty songs that I made up back then. I'm sure I don't remember a single word of any of them. Ahem.

Peace.

The Sleep Nazi

Oh, squee....!

Insomnia is so much freakin' fun! I cannot begin to tell you how enjoyable it is to go to bed at a (somewhat) decent hour, and then proceed to just stare at the ceiling all night. Hour after hour after hour. The mind just racing along - one crazy thought to the next - and every so often, the thought of, "Geesh...I wonder what time it is NOW? This is ridiculous!"

Before you know it, it's 2:30 a.m. And then it's 3:47 a.m. And then it's 4:22 a.m.

By about now, you think, "Man...I really should have taken an Ambien tonight." But it's too late NOW! No Ambien for you, sucker! Because YOU get to get up at 6:30 a.m. this morning to take Dear Daughter to the dentist at 8:00 a.m. for a check-up!

As I said earlier, "Squeeeeee!"

Back to taking my L-Theanine...argh. This is what happens when you don't take your pills....

NO SLEEP FOR YOU!!!!

Peace.

Freedom from the Martyr Sigh

I love my mother, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.

That must be made perfectly clear before you can read any further....

My mother is the master of the Martyr Sigh.

I'm sure you know what that is - the Martyr Sigh. She punctuates her sentences with it when she wants to get her way, and it has worked its magical charm for as long as I can remember. No matter what it was - or how adamant we were to not do "it", all she had to do was pull out the Martyr Sigh - and we were toast. Example:

Me: "No, no, no, no, no -it's not going to happen! Never! Ever! Not in this lifetime!!!! Nada!"

Mom: "Okay." Pause. "Martyr Sigh."

Me: "Oh, fine. I'll do it." Argh.

------------------------------

I was at her house the other day, visiting with her and Dad, when the conversation goes like this:

Mom: "You know your sister's getting married....."

Me: "So I heard."

Mom: "You know the wedding is October 17th...."

Me: "I heard that, too."

Mom: "You know she's asked you to be the Wedding Planner...."

Me: "Yup. I heard that, as well...I'm sure you heard that I said no."

Mom: "But you would be SO good at it!"

Me: "Probably. But - I don't have time between now and October 17th to plan a wedding. I simply don't. I told her to buy a wedding planning book and that I would HELP her - but I am NOT the wedding planner."

Mom: "Okay."

Wait for it....wait for it....here it comes:

Mom: "Martyr Sigh.... " (She never disappoints.)

But here is where it is amazing; watch this:

Me: "Mom. I said no. I am NOT planning the wedding."

Holy Macaroni, Batman! Did I just stand-up to the Martyr Sigh? Have I now - FINALLY - become immune to it's powers??! Mom and I both looked at each other in a moment of shock...Mom, blinking...Me, in open-mouthed wonder...and so she tried it again:

Mom (only louder this time, thinking perhaps I've lost my hearing): "MARTYR SIGH!"

Me: Looking right back at her, just blinking my eyes and not saying a word....

Heavenly choirs of angels singing - it has only taken me almost 48 years - but I am IMMUNE to the Martyr Sigh!!!!

Well, at least when it comes to being the Wedding Planner for my baby sister's upcoming nuptials. No way. Not happenin'.

Peace.

Am I Sharing My Gifts?

So, I was at church last night - enjoying the music and the message and the peacefulness of it all - when the pastor said something that totally snapped me out of my quiet reflection and actually made me....GASP....think.

He said, "What if...you were standing at the throne of God, when it's all said and done, and God says to you:

"What did you DO with the resources I entrusted to you?....and more importantly, who did you share them WITH?"

Wow.

We all have gifts that God has given us. It may be the gift of singing; it may be the gift of speaking; it may be the gift of mercy and action.

What are MY gifts? Certainly not singing. Certainly not anything musical, for that matter. Speaking? Perhaps. Certainly a gift of striving to change things in the world to make it better through action and compassion.

If my gift is speaking, am I speaking enough? If my gift is writing, am I writing enough? If my gift is doing, am I doing enough?

What have I done with the gifts that God has entrusted to me?

And whom did I share those gifts with?

People I feel comfortable with? People I trust? Or people who really need the gifts I have...even if those people are outside my social circles, my economic circles, my friendship circles....?

It's certainly given me room for thought...as I sit and reflect on it this beautiful Sunday afternoon...

What are YOUR gifts that God has given YOU? And who are YOU sharing them with?

Peace.

Swept Away

I look back over my shoulder, squinting into the late afternoon sun, gawking with stunned alarm at the broad rolling muddy waters of the Mississippi…

…it’s every boater’s nightmare – a flash flood...and I realize that my lazy Sunday afternoon lark has turned into a life-or-death situation…

…the wall of water catches me, flips my canoe, and sucks me down, down, down into the muddy abyss. I am tumbling and spinning as if I’m in a giant washing machine of chocolate brown water…

…if only I can reach the surface to draw in a breath of life…but which way is the surface? There’s no way to tell in this fathomless black wasteland, and I realize - in horror - I am too late…and I begin to sink....

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This is the regular Saturday thing at Jenny Matlock's called Saturday Centus. On Saturday she gives a prompt (which is the first paragraph above - in bold) and then we have to come up with 100 words or less after it...a sort of creative writing exercise. And believe me - 100 words or less is HARD! That's what makes this so interesting - to tell a quick story in such a limited way...it makes you think, for sure!

Click on Jenny Matlock and you can read other people's entries. Everyone usually comes up with some pretty cool stories!

The Perfect Day

Yesterday was a most-fantabulous-freakin-awesome-super-duper day.

To begin with, I went into my office at the Red Cross - looked at the mountain of work waiting for me - and proceeded to kick ass. I was the master of my domain - and nothing stood in my way of getting every little bit of it done. Finis. Kaput. Not even the sight of a weekend flood that had basically turned my office into its own disaster scene - ruined carpet, ruined files, soggy paperwork - fazed me in my quest to get 'er done.

After spending hours at my cluttered desk, knocking off one project after another, my co-workers convinced me to take a dinner break....Well, who am I to deprive them of my sparkling personality at dinner? Several of us hopped down the street to the Cheesecake Factory - where I nibbled on a delectable herb-encrusted salmon salad that was very tasty and very flavorful and oh-so-delicious. Yum.

We got back to the office just in time for my 7:00 meeting with the volunteers - and we had a fabulous crowd there to hear the speaker I had arranged. And yes, dear readers - my speaker did not disappoint; he gave a fantastic historical presentation on what the dear Red Cross volunteers of Kansas City did for the soldiers of World War I. Very, very interesting.

After the speaker had spoken, I whipped through the rest of the meeting with skill, clarity, deftness and humor...I was ON FIRE! The meeting ended around 8:40 pm...and after chatting a bit with fellow volunteers, I dragged my weary butt to my car to drive the long drive home (a 45-minute drive on a GOOD day. Yikes.)

Exhausted? Yes. Exhilarated? Yes. Impatient? Definitely.

Because...I had a guilty little secret waiting for me at home. I knew that once home, I would get to break this little baby out and nibble to my heart's content:



Meet the Red Velvet cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.

Come to Mama, sweetheart.

What a perfect ending of a perfect day.

Life is good.

Hip, Hip Hooray!

SCORE!

I am SOOOO excited today, I am jumping up and down with joy...! I feel like a humanized Tigger - where I am bouncing from one activity to the next!

Why, you ask? Well, I'll tell you why! (You knew I would...!)

First, a little background:

Here in Kansas City, we have a monthly meeting for all of our American Red Cross volunteers. The format of the meeting is usually as follows: snacks & fellowship, a guest speaker, and then the "business" meeting where we discuss policies and procedures in our Disaster Services area.

Part of my responsibilities as Disaster Services Chairman is not only directing these meetings, but arranging for the guest speakers each month. I've been doing this now for over a year, and it's getting more and more difficult to bring in someone who can not only be relevant to our agenda (disasters), but also interesting...and concise...and engaging. Oh - and did I mention the speaker has to be willing to do it pro bono? For free? Pretty please??!

In the past, we've had local television weathermen (speaking on hurricanes, flooding and tornados), firemen, FEMA personnel, city emergency management directors, animal rescue groups, underwater rescue and recovery - all sorts of fascinating people who can disseminate useful information to our volunteers - and hold their attention.

TONIGHT - I scored a major coup! I managed to snag the curator of the ONLY museum in the United States specifically geared towards World War I...and that curator has a magnificent presentation on the role of the American Red Cross during World War I....with photos galore of various artifacts, as well as amazing trivia and stories.

I know, I know - it may not sound interesting to the average Joe Blow - but to someone who is passionate about the Red Cross - it is AMAZING! I had the wonderful opportunity to hear this man do this same presentation about 6 months ago at a fundraiser I went to, and I said then, "I have GOT to get this guy to one of my meetings...." And here he is! Tonight!!! [Bounce, bounce, bounce!]

Isn't it funny what can get us excited?! I am always awed by the different causes and celebrations that I see out here in the blogging world - and the passions that people have for various things - and I always think it's wonderful that we are such a diverse group and we can cheer on our own causes and educate and inform and excite others...and it's all good.

I LOVE reading about other people's causes - the March of Dimes, breast cancer awareness, world hunger, adoptions, Cystic Fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, PETA - it's all been very fascinating for me to read up on what others are doing. Your excitement for whatever it is you're championing is contagious -

- and I hope my excitement about the American Red Cross is just as contagious to you!

I am SOOOOOOO excited!

(Can you tell??!!)

Peace.

Becoming a Statistic

There is a statistic out there that says 50% of marriages will end up in divorce court.

I'm sure there is a myriad of theories for that - financial issues, children, in-laws, infidelity - blah, blah, blah.

I've been doing my own research and I have to say, I think I've found the #1 reason for divorce in our society today:

.

.

.

Selling a house.

Hubs and I have an "extra" house just sitting around, waiting to be sold...it's been empty since November, when we moved out and into the new lake house. I would have thought the old house would be on the market by now - but, oh no. Hubs has a different idea.

He first brought in a "professional stager", who charged hundreds of dollars to basically tell us that our house was ugly and dated and need to be revamped from the ground up. Of course, she could do all of the revamping for us for a measly few thousands of dollars - at which point, we politely declined and showed her the door.

How lovely...I just paid a woman big bucks to tell me that my paint color choices sucked. Well, THAT was money well spent, huh?! And who is SHE to say that my drawer handles are so "80's"??!! The NERVE of that woman.

Anywho, we have now spent the last several months totally overhauling the old house - repainting, re-carpeting, installing granite, new tile, new windows, new light fixtures, blah, blah, blah. And oh yes...new drawer handles.

Hubs and I have very different ideas on what looks good - which is interesting, as this is a house WE ARE NOT GOING TO KEEP!

What is the difference??!!! I keep trying to remind him of this fact, but he keeps conveniently forgetting that. Argh.

Meanwhile, time's a-wastin', the money is a-drainin', and we still do not have the old house on the market. Hubs told me the other day that he thinks it will be ready by next week.

Right. We'll see. If we AREN'T seeing a realtor by next week, I know who I WILL be seeing.

A divorce attorney.

Peace.

The Last Day

Conversation overheard at my house recently:


Friday, May 7th
Daughter: “Mom, when’s the last day of school?”
Me: “May 28th.”
Daughter: “How many days is that?”
Me: “Twenty one.”
Daughter (groaning): “That seems forever…..”


Monday, May 10th:
Daughter: “Mom, when’s the last day of school?”
Me: “I told you already…May 28th.”
Daughter (groaning): “That’s so far away….”


Wednesday, May 12:
Daughter: “Mom, I can’t remember…when’s the last day of school?”
Me (exasperated) “ARGH! May 28th!!!! It hasn’t changed since you asked me two days ago!”
Daughter: “Geesh….I was just askin’….”


Monday, May 17th:
Daughter: “Mom, is it closer to May 28th yet?”
Me, with sarcasm: “That 4th-grade education is really paying off for you, isn’t it?”
Daughter: “What does THAT mean?”


Tuesday, May 18th:
Daughter: "Mom, wh-"
Me, interrupting: "I swear to God, if you ask me about the last day of school ONE MORE TIME, I'm going to permanently enroll you in summer school until you're 98 years old and you will NEVER have a last day of school. Ever. So, what were you going to say?"
Daughter: "Nothing."
Me. "I thought so."

Peace.

P.S. The above post was submitted to Fiction Groupie, for the "Let's Talk" blogfest going on today - where the focus is on dialogue. Visit the link and check out others' entries!

Heaven in my Closet

Do you remember this post about the fabulous shoes I recently bought - especially those to-die-for turquoise sandals?

And how I had no idea what I'd wear with them, but I HAD. TO. HAVE. THEM. as they would basically solve all of my problems and make my life perfect and oh-so-complete??! Remember that?

Well, I had a luncheon to go to last Thursday, and I so wanted to wear those shoes...

But what to wear with them???

I dug deep, deep, deep in my closet - and I'll be darned.

I found THE dress. That would match THE shoes.



God is good.

Peace.

A Whole Lot of Nothing

I was really going to write this awesome post today...

...of all of the wonderful things we did over the weekend....

...but...it pretty much rained and rained and rained some more....

...so we pretty much hunkered down inside the house and did nothing...

...and then when that got boring, we mixed it up and did some more nothing...

...so I really have nothing to write about today....

...except that sometimes it's nice to do nothing...

...because doing nothing can be relaxing and stress-free...

...so that's my exciting post for today....

A whole lot of nothing.

How was YOUR weekend?!

Peace.

My Mother's Words

If given a pencil and a piece of paper, and asked to draw - anything - I can not do it. For 47 years, when attempting to recreate something by sketching or drawing, my attempts fall far, far short. I am not artistic in the least. Attempting to even draw a cat is beyond my capabilities.

However, if given a pencil and a piece of paper, and asked to write - using words - I excel. For 47 years, I have loved the beauty of words and language and stories and thoughts flowing out of my brain and onto the paper.

When I was 7 years old, I was given a diary as a gift for my birthday. The diary was magical - and I loved nothing more than writing my thoughts and events for the day, as only a 7-year old can. My mom would watch me diligently write in that diary every night, and she urged, "You should become a writer." But I had dreams then of being a rock star...if I were to write anything, it would be to write hit songs.

When I was 9 years old and in the 3rd grade, we had to write a short "book" - chapters and all - for an assignment. My book was chosen as the best at the school, and I have fond memories of visiting the other classrooms and having the opportunity to read my book aloud to the other children. My mother repeated her mantra, "You really should be a writer when you grow up." But I had dreams of playing major league baseball - and baseball players don't write. If I were to write at all, it would be to sign autographs while being rich and famous.

When I was an awkward, rebellious teenager, I sat down one day and wrote an epic poem about what it was like to be an awkward, rebellious teenager...I gave the poem to my mother, who still carries that poem in her purse to this day. The poem just advanced her argument that I should be a writer when I went off to college, but at that point, all I wanted to do was to be cool and quit being geeky.... Awkward, rebellious teenagers don't write.

I went off to college and the only writing I did then was to write dry, boring term papers on sociology and psychology and education....Oh, I got the "A" on every paper I wrote, but it was pedantic at best and redundant at worst....Mom again pushed for me to be a writer, but I only wanted that degree - I didn't want to write. If I wrote anything, it was to write down my goals of graduating and getting an awesome career.

And now...I'm 47 years old...retired...and I've been writing the blog for about 18 months...and it's actually fun. And people actually read it. And I really enjoy it.

So, Mom? Looky over here! I'm a writer. Are you happy?

It took awhile to get here...but I'm glad for the journey. It gave me stuff to write about.

Peace.

The Mile High Club

The small Cessna 172 picked up speed as it roared down the runway, Sara at the controls, the flight instructor beside her...

...Sara could feel the thrust of power in her hands as she pulled on the throttle, as well as the vibration of the powerful engine.

She touched the instruments in front of her at first in wonder and curiosity, and then in anticipation of the thrill that lie ahead of her.

Antonio watched all of this with a glint in his eye and a sardonic smile on his face…knowing that the months of patience…of gentle instruction…of guidance…were finally coming to fruition for both of them.

“I never knew it could be like this,” Sara murmured.

“Oh, sweetheart…the best is yet to come,” Antonio replied.

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This is the regular Saturday thing at Jenny Matlock's called Saturday Centus. On Saturday she gives a prompt (which is the first paragraph above - in bold) and then we have to come up with 100 words or less after it...a sort of creative writing exercise.

I've apparently been reading too many Harlequin romances lately; hence, my entry...!

Click on Jenny Matlock and you can read other people's entries. Everyone usually comes up with some pretty cool stories!

April Showers Bring...

Ode to Dr. Seuss

I have a cat....

...who thinks he's all that...

...he sits in my chair...

...giving me the stare...

...as he surfs the net...

...and I'll just bet...

...that he's reading this blog right now as we speak....

...and he ate my mouse - the little freak....

...since I caught him red-handed (red-pawed?) using my laptop on Mulberry Street.

Silly cat.

Peace.

Cops in Crown Vics

Siren blaring...red lights flashing...certainly NOT what you want to hear or see in your rear-view mirror on your way home from work.

I was driving home from the Red Cross office today, minding my own business...lost in thought over everything I had accomplished, everything I had yet to accomplish, and everything that I knew would never be accomplished.

Traffic was heavy...rain was moving into the area, and for some reason, some people in Kansas City lose all mental abilities whenever moisture hits the pavement; their driving reverts to imbecile levels at best. My foot was spending more time on the brake pedal than the gas pedal - but I was calm, cool and collected. I was actually enjoying the peace and quiet of the car after the chaos of the work day...it was my cocoon of serenity before I would have to deal with the chaos of three hungry kids and a hubby at home.

Traffic was so heavy, that I had been sandwiched between two other cars for at least a mile and a half on the highway...a white Ford pick-up in front of me, and a dark Crown Vic behind me. That should have been my first clue. Who else drives a Crown Vic but a cop?!

Sure enough - suddenly, the Crown Vic/SneakyCop turns on his lights (in his dash) and turns on his siren...and my heart sinks.

"Whah??!" I think, in confusion..."What the heck did I do??" I KNOW it can't be for speeding, because a tortoise could have passed me, we were crawling along so slow. It's amazing how your brain can snap into warp speed as it sits there, racing through every and all possibilities of why a cop would be targeting you. And it's amazing how a peaceful and calm cocoon can turn into a heart thumping, adrenaline-racing, apprehensive trap in just a nano-second. All with a siren and a red light.

I am still looking in my rear view mirror, trying to figure out where I can safely pull over, when I see the cop waving at me...but wait....what is this??!! He's not waving me OVER - he's waving me out of the way. Really? Seriously? It's NOT me?

Yes, Mister Cop flies around me and goes speeding off into the distance in front of me, in hot pursuit of who-knows-what-but-thank-God-it's-not-me.

It's such a wonderful feeling knowing you are NOT the perp.

I went back to calm and peaceful again...after I got the adrenaline out of my system, of course. And then it was back to stop. Go. Stop. Go. All the way home.

Peace.

My Kindle is On FIRE!

I have been tearing through some books the last two weeks on my Kindle, and some of them have actually been...well...pretty darn good. I thought I'd take the liberty of mentioning some of them, and sharing my thoughts on them. If you're not a reader, well then - first, I feel sorry for you, and second - you have my permission to stop reading THIS. But, if you ARE a reader, carry on...maybe you'll find something for YOUR summer reading list!

I recently watched (on DVD) the movie, "Taking Woodstock" - which was surprisingly fresh, funny and informative. At the end of it, I was left wanting more, and so I picked up a book entitled "The Road to Woodstock" by Michael Lang.



Lang was the actual producer of the legendary concert back in 1969 - and this book is the entire, behind-the-scenes story of everything that happened...the good, the bad and the ugly. I LOVED this book...it was fantastic. I was only 7 years old when Woodstock took place, so this book enabled me to "be there" when I wasn't actually there. Dang it. It looked SOOO cool.


For some light reading (ha!), I waded through the hundreds and hundreds of pages of "Oprah: A Biography" by Kitty Kelley.



I can take or leave Oprah - she's not one of my favorites - and so this book was...meh. There's really nothing shocking in the book, but it is full of anecdotes and trivia and history of the world's richest black woman. The author has certainly done her homework; Kitty Kelley has never been successfully sued for libel by any one that she has profiled in her books. I will say that I do kinda' look at Oprah in a different light, now. Huh.


"The Help", by Kathryn Stockett, was absolutely spell-binding...I literally could not put this book down.



It was fascinating - a fictional account of African-American ladies back in the 1960's working for the Southern genteel of Jackson, Mississippi. Wow. Maybe it's that I loved the sociology of it all - one of my passions - or the history behind it - but this book was excellent. I hear the movie rights have been purchased, and I cannot wait until this is released as a motion picture. I finished the 400+ pages, thinking, "More! More!" It was really THAT good.


Another historical fiction - but based on actual people - is "Remarkable Creatures" by Tracy Chevalier.



This book was very good...the true story (somewhat fictionalized) of Elizabeth Philpot and Mary Anning, who were renowned in the field of paleontology way-back-when. I love Tracy's books - all of them - and she did not disappoint, once again. This is another book that will soon be made into a motion picture; can't wait!


And last, but not least, I finished "A Reliable Wife" about 2 weeks ago...wow.



This book was written by Robert Goolrick - and this was a book of intrigue, suspense and surprises....I LOVE books like this! And - soon to be a motion picture!


So, that's what's been on my Kindle the last two weeks...I've been a reading machine, as some of these books were just so amazingly gripping.

What have YOU been reading lately? Give me some recommendations, as I need more Kindle books! More! More! Although, I'd probably better give my Kindle a chance to cool down...cuz, man, it has been on FIRE lately with these books!

Peace.

The Jedi Warrior

For a brief moment, I thought I had been graced with a real Jedi at my Mother's Day picnic.

Some of my family pulled up, and I went out to greet them with my new Flip video camera. (Yes, I'm playing with it - it's fun!) Out of the van door popped a little 3-foot tall Jedi warrior.

He looked suspiciously like my 4-year old nephew, Robert...so I thought I'd question him.

After persistent questioning, as you can hear on the video, I was rather disappointed to find out it was not a Jedi, but "just Robert." And a crabby Robert, at that.

Darn it. I thought I had a celebrity there for a minute.

And the guy sticking his tongue out at me at the end? My father. Which explains a lot about me.

Peace.

Hisses & Cheers on Mother's Day

Do you think it's a bad idea to murder your children...on Mother's Day, no less?!

Okay, I wouldn't REALLY murder them...but I've certainly thought about it...and I know I'm not alone on this.

They can just be so...frustrating. Yeah, that's it - frustrating.

Actually, I had a pretty good Mother's Day...since we are now heathens and attend church on Saturday night, I get to sleep in on Sunday. Yay for me!

I wake up to find the Sunday paper laying beside me...yay for me!

After lounging in bed and reading the paper from cover to cover, I get the house ready for a huge family picnic - which means cleaning, setting up, organizing, icing down the drinks, etc. Boo for me!

We then have a little bit of extra time before the party, so Hubs takes me to the local garden center so I can pick out flowers for the yard, as well as new bird feeders. Yay for me!

We enjoy a great family picnic - with my parents, and all of the sibs - and nephews, nieces, etc. Yay for me!

Everyone is having such a great time that they stay for 4 1/2 hours - and then leave, leaving behind a huge mess - dirty dishes, glasses, food to be put away, crumbs on the floor... Boo for me!

I get several nice cards from the kids and from Hubs - all telling me what a wonderful Mother/Wife I am - yay for me!

My Mother's Day gift is being "shipped" and has not yet arrived...so while all the other moms at the picnic are opening gifts, I have no gift. Yet. Boo for me!

After helping me clean the house, Hubby draws a nice, warm bubble bath for me... candles, soft music, white wine - yay for me!

After the bath, I am reading my Kindle, all snuggled in bed - when it completely freezes. Couldn't turn a page, couldn't turn it off or on - it was STUCK. Boo for me!

I rush to the computer to try to "google" how to fix a temperamental Kindle and the computer is not working - thanks to the children and their gaming - and I spent 90 minutes last night - at midnight - trying to fix it. Boo for me! Boo for the kids! I am thinking murderous thoughts as I am on my hands and knees, in my nightgown, trying to fix the darn thing while the children are all asleep, snug in their beds. ARGH!

So, I guess I really don't want to murder my children as much as I want to murder technology.

My kids are safe. For now.

Peace.

The Angel or the Devil???

This is a new thing at Jenny Matlock's called Saturday Centus. On Saturday she gives a prompt (which is the first paragraph below - in bold) and then we have to come up with 100 words or less after it...a sort of creative writing exercise, which is brain stimulating. I need all the brain stimulation I can get so I don't get all cranky and forgetful and delusional when I get older. (Well, I'm sorta' already there - so better late than never on stimulation.)

So, here's my entry...hope you all enjoy it! Click on Jenny Matlock and you can read other people's entries. Should be fun!

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The Prompt:

My untied shoelace changed my life. As I leaned down to re-tie it, I had kicked away a few leaves. When I turned my head slightly to look where the leaves had been, I was astonished to see a rubber-banded wad of hundred dollar bills nestled in a little indention in the muddy ground.

Holy raining fortune, Batman! Is this a mirage? Is this real? Is this a sick joke?

These and other questions raced through my brain, ending with...."What the heck do I do NOW??!!??"

The angel on my right whispered, "Do what's right...as in find the owner... donate it to charity...Give it away."

The devil on my left tempted with, "Keep it. Spend it. Splurge on sinful pleasures....No one will know...."

Who won? The angel? Or the devil?

I won't tell...but it was life-changing....!

And it felt good.

What would YOU do???

Peace.

5-Question Friday

It's Friday! Squee! And I've got nothin'....

Actually, I've been super busy and just haven't had time to sit and ponder on the mysteries of life so that I could blog about them....so, we're going to go with the always reliable, always easy "5-Question Friday."

1. What is your worst memory of your siblings?
The fact that they even exist! Kidding! I'm the oldest of 3, and it seems like I'm usually the responsible one....the younger two always seem to be asking for favors. Just this week, sister asked if I would be her wedding coordinator (and I laughed and laughed and then said "No way!"), and then brother was in a car accident and asked to borrow my spare car for a few days (for THAT, I said yes...accidents are accidents and it wasn't his fault). Over all, I love my siblings and I'm glad we all live close to each other.

2. What was your naughtiest childhood memory?
I was actually a pretty good kid, I think...being the oldest brought a certain maturity and responsibility. I DID lose my mom's wedding ring...that was probably the worst thing I ever did. That was pretty horrible. I'm surprised my mom didn't kill me. I know I would have killed my kid if they'd done that. Seriously!

3. Where do you like to go to relax?
Anywhere with water...either sitting by it, here at the lake...or sitting in it, as in a warm bath...or even swimming in it, as in the ocean. Heck, even a nice, warm shower is relaxing to me. I love water.

4. What was the last thing you won?
Um...wow. Toughie. I think I won a cake at the school carnival last year at the Cake Walk. I don't win too many things....Oh, wait! I won the "Community Relations" Award last year for the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Red Cross....! That was pretty cool!

5. If you could be on a game show, which would you choose?
Does "Survivor" count? I would LOVE to be on either "Survivor" or "The Amazing Race." I would love the skill and the adventure and the strategy - those are fantabulous game shows!

So - that's it. I hope everyone has a fantastic Friday!

Peace.