I'VE MOVED!!

From now on please find me at www.kathimoore.com I have a whole new look :) Hope you like it...gotta keep updated, ya know.
Thanks for reading!!

NFP vs. Academia

I actually have two very good job leads; one in academia and one a not-for-profit. Neither segment of employment is notorious for great pay, but I think I could make it work in either case; for the academia one, the tuition credit would come in handy for 2 upcoming children!
So how to choose??? I am so gun-shy right now, that I don't even trust my gut any more. The last two jobs ended up being quite different than what I thought they'd be, going in. I wish I had a crystal ball, so I could see which one would be better for me! I sure don't want to have to be looking for a job again, for many, many years!

Minimum Wages

Let's establish up front; I held a job with a company for 16 years. That's loyalty, ladies, considering I went through 3 buildings and at least 8 different sales managers.
However, looking at my resume now, I suddenly look like a "job hopper", with 3 jobs in the past 2 years (4 if you include the parttime retail gig). Well, actually I didn't add that last 5-weeks of employ with the bitchy and secretive boss. She's one of those people who always puts a "face" on, so you never really have any idea what she's really like or what she's really thinking. In the end, it turns out she was thinking of ways she could get rid of me! My guess is, she had someone else in mind to hire, but her boss made her hire me instead.
So, anyway, since I've been burned again, I am that much more gun-shy. I am so hesitant to take a job and am looking at every potential employer with a more skeptical eye, always wondering if they're "for real" or not. Its gonna be tough this time; I really need to find something that fits so well that I don't have to move again for, say...another 16 years!

A slug's life

I AM a slug! I just finished some Indiana State Fair kettle corn (yeah...the kind with sugar...shut up!)...and I'm sitting here thinking about running. Thinking. Thinking that I haven't been doing much running in the past (don't count with me) weeks. Eeek. So, I'm fat, depressed, and my digestion has all but stopped. Yikes. Sure, I take my 3 big dogs for walks every day...at least a mile, often 2, and the exercise is enough to cause new aches that running never did...but I sadly realize it just isn't enough to really count towards weight loss or real fitness.
SO......count me back in, guys! D + K + K + K + K + C (you really have to have a name that starts with a K to be in this running group)....I'll be there on Tuesday at 5:15am! Yes! I will! I really will! (well, unless the temp is above 80 or the humidity is above 90...) I'm back, just like I was last year in this pic! :0 Look at that form, ladies!

Life at its worst...

I have a wonderful family and a beautiful home, 3 great dogs and 3 cats. So, I can't complain about that. However, I have a very hard time feeling the least bit happy right now. For the second time in 2 years.....I'm unemployed. For 3 years, we've tried to sell our somewhat imperfect (other) home; can you imagine what's that done to our finances? And oh, did I mention...I'm unemployed.

What to eat?

I admit it. I still carry an extra 25 pounds since the birth of my son...13 years ago! Research shows that's typical for an American woman; 10 pounds per decade. But I'm not happy about it! And I want it gone...NOW! So, I'm trying to adjust my eating habits and specifically what I eat. I definitely consume too much sugar, and I'm sure too much "white stuff"...flour, etc. so I'm really trying to cut back a little at a time, 'til I've eliminated it. But beyond that its so hard to figure out what is good and what is bad for you, because there are so many "experts" out there telling you so many different things! What do I eat? What don't I eat? Raw almonds and pomegranates? A glass of red wine and a baby aspirin? Dark chocolate and oatmeal? WHAT?!?!?

While the kid's away...

Mom gets to clean his room! There cannot possibly be a worse bedroom than my 16-year old son's...I wish I'd had the foresight to photograph it BEFORE I went it. He is a highly intelligent and great kid, but lives in utter filth. Mounds of clothes on the floor. Mounds of clothes on the desk (oh, was that a desk under there? who knew!). Mounds of clothes on the closet floor. Mounds of clothes on the bed. Sheeesh! What was left for this kid to wear on his body, and where did he sleep? Why was there a whole pile's worth of some other kid's clothes? Anyway, he left for 2 weeks, so I, armed with hefty lawn bags, a shop-vac, Febreeze, and a shovel, spent many hours digging through to uncover carpet and furniture. One large bag went to Goodwill, one large bag to the trash, and at least 25 books were unearthed that are now lined up neatly on his desk. Will he miss those Goodwill clothes? Heck no...he only pulls stuff from the top of each pile anyway! Will those clothes remain neatly organized and stacked on the closet shelves? Doubtful. Will he find "new" clothes to wear? Oh yes....we probably won't have to do laundry for a month now! There were 20 socks just under and behind his bed! (I know...it was quite a risk looking under a teenaged boy's bed...but I didn't find anything surprising...but did find 2 blankets he's been missing.) And he has a whole corner for music, now; 2 guitars, a keyboard, French horn, amplifier, music files (er, you don't really think he had a FILE for sheets of music he'd downloaded, do you?!).
<*sigh*> It looks fabulous! But alas.....he returns tonight. By tomorrow I'll be able to get that photograph for you :)

Home Ownership...

Sometimes I wish I lived in an apartment with a nice clubhouse and pool. Not that I don't love my house, mind you...but the chores related to homeownership...and the financial drain! sometimes get tedious. Take my deck, for instance (please!). Hubby spent about 6 hours powerwashing it on his day off last week, and then we spent another..well, let's think...at least 6 hours staining it; after long days at work.
Now it looks great! But whew! And the furniture has been sitting out on the lawn for over a week; I'm sure the golfers who walk by just love that look.
Now, we have to move on to the porch floor, which was also powerwashed, but we will "porch paint" it....as soon as we get to it, since it needs to be primed first and its a messy, oil-based job. I'll think about it tomorrow...

"The Lake House" Movie!

Look! This is "Jack" the dog in "The Lake House" movie, with Sandra Bullock....and my own Charlie. Don't they alook alike! except for the "up" ears vs. the "down" ears. (And I really look like Sandra Bullock, too...in my dreams!) Moments after this picture, "Jack" lifted her paw onto the table to point at a "paw-n" that she wanted moved. Charlie could've done that, too, if the paw-n was replaced with a donut or something!
Anyway, I was in a lakehouse kinda mood this week, I guess, and took my 14-year old mentee to see the movie last night; supersized popcorn for dinner (some good example I am). Other than the fact that we kept wondering what year it was (the plot is juxtaposed between at least 2 years)...I liked the movie. It was very romantic and the actual house is an awesome display of greenhouse-like glass, stilted up out of the lake. Apparently they couldn't find the "right" house, so had to build this one, then tear it down (!!!) at the end of the shoot. Sad! P.S. I'm in love with Keanu Reeves now, too....verrrrry nice kiss scenes...

Lakehouse!!

Monday morning after a great weekend...Our friends invited us to their rented cottage on the lake, which is less than an hour south of Indy, in Brown County. It was wonderful! The HOUSE was big enough to sleep 14, so we didn't feel like we were tripping over each other. It is right on the water, with a dock right there, and a pontoon boat that we used quite a bit. There were also tons of rafts and floating chairs with cup holders, so I spent a lot of time floating and reading a Nora Roberts novel, while hubby stayed out of the sun under the canopy of the pontoon, he boated around the lake. In return for their letting us sponge off them, I brought tons of food and cooked breakdfast and dinner on Saturday, plus s'mores for the campfire on Friday night. I'd made meatballs ahead and froze them, (and cole slaw or lunch), so we had spaghetti Saturday night, and the kids helped me make "Mc(insert your last name here) sandwiches" for breakfast; English muffins with eggs and bacon and cheese. I'd brought stuff for French toast for Sunday, but we all ended up with cereal, so I left it for them for later. What's a vacation without constant food, anyway?
Saturday night, K1 and K2 headed back home, so K1 could work Sunday at 9:30 and K2 could play in the youth band in 2 services at church. Their teenaged boy left Saturday night, too, 'cause he had to work....there were comings and goings all weekend, really. You needed a chart to keep track of the 4 teens. Their daughter had 2 friends over the weekend, then they left and son brought back 5 friends last night!! Mom figured the house was big enough, and the kids would be happier, so she didn't care (altho she was panicking a bit about having enough food for all those 18-year old boys!)
My K1 also then picked the dogs up from the boarding place, on Sunday morning. We no longer have a dog sitter!! I was in a panic, having to find a place for them very last minute, but it worked out fine. They seem none the worse for wear; all 3 stayed in one big dog run/cage together for 2 nights. On the invoice, they kept referring to Charlie as "Charles BARKley", so I guess I know what he was doing the whole time he was there!
Anyway, it was a really fun weekend. K1 ended up going back down there last night (we passed her on the highway) with their daughter, and gets to stay until Wednesday morning, since she didn't have to work. K2, however, has to pack to leave for Mexico/southern California tomorrow at 6:30am. Luckily hubby is off this week (and next?) so K3 will have him to entertain him...

Working 8 to 5

Well, really 8:30 to 5. Slowly acclimating to this working-away-from-home stuff. The kids are tired of me calling and asking "did you take the dog out?", but I am a bit of a control-freak and I need to be sure that these things are still being taken care of. I miss the freedoms of home, the dogs, being around the kids more, etc. Here at work (oops, I'm not working much right this minute, now am I?), I still feel very isolated from the others who work here; not a whole lot of interaction yet. And on the other hand, I sit practically in the middle of the room, so everyone hears every single word I utter on the phone (duh; I'm in sales, so I'm on the phone a lot), and they can see my computer screen, too (I hate that!). There is NO privacy...which is exactly the opposite of what I had at home these past 2 years.
But then, I expected there to be adjustments. This is my 4th week here....adjustments still under way. What helps is...I made my first sale last week....Hurray! One giant leap for me, one small step towards the goal :)

Yer Mom

Hey, I forgot to mention a great thanks to suburban turmoil for her "my space" suggestion...thanks to her, I am now "Yer Mom" and can monitor the postings, etc. of one teenaged boy. She's DaNosyStepmom, by the way, and you can read her article in Nashville Post. Technology schmecnology, I say! Moms can still be moms...even in hyperspace.

4-Day Holiday Weekend!!

Can I hear a Woo-Hoo! The kidlins and us are headed to Chicago for the weekend; in 2 cars, believe it or not...even with $2.99 gas (ugh!). Grandma is moving, and we're headed up to help her move and bring back some furniture for K1's rental house at school. Grandma lives in a really great apartment complex...and is moving....2 doors down! Should be a hoot, with 7 teenaged boys, my 20-year old, and various adults, passing back and forth down the hall. I'm guessing a quick 2-hours, followed by fabulous pizza-delivery, as only Chicago can make it. And, we'll be back home in time for the traditional BBQ and fireworks with friends. yeah.

Smoker's Paradise

As you may know (if you ever actually read this blog), I started a new job last week...in a very nice, fairly new building. There is a deli and a fabulous "backyard", which is a patio with neato tables, etc. overlooking a jogging trail and a huge field of flowers. So, yesterday I took my grilled cheese outside to catch up on the morning paper and enjoy an unusually lovely day in Indianapolis, as I listened to various birds chirping and took in the fresh air. I was barely finishing the first half of my sandwich when it happened. 3 people burst out the door, barely making it outside, before their cigarettes were lit ....so much for my fresh air on the patio! Apparently if I want the REAL fresh air, I have to walk along the jogging trail to ANOTHER patio way out in the middle of the field...and hope no one follows me! What is right about this? Isn't it only about 20% of the population that smokes these days, and we all have to inconvenienced by their bad habits.

A new Teenager...

New Teen!

How can it be that I am now the mother of TWO teenaged boys?! We celebrated with a trip to the mecca for all "cool" teenagers...Abercrombie. Yes, people really do bow down there....but its under the weight of the prices! hee hee. K3 and I had a great time together, actually, shopping and then playing at the Apple store on their laptop cameras. They have fun software that allows you to distort your picture in hysterical ways! He, of course, wanted more pics for his "myspace" page. By the way, he is having a somewhat tough time adjusting to my being gone all the time; he's lost his chauffeur to all his friends' houses. He'll get over it. I've thrown in a new chore chart to help fill his time.

Its a whole new world...

Okay, since its "find a good cliche and use it" day...."Today is the first day of the rest of my life".
I just started a new job today! yeah!! I am very excited!
A couple of downsides...long commute in awful traffic (if I head in early and leave early, perhaps I can beat it), and for the first time in nearly 2 years, I'm away from home and back into a real office every day. That means a huge culture change for the entire family; the kids have been spoiled by Mom doing basically all the chores...and Dad's been pretty spoiled by that, too! But.... I think we will all adjust, thanks to a better paycheck :)
So, we feel that our life is finally starting to get under control; now, if we could just unload that albatros of a house! (see previous posts about this sad story...)

Random thoughts from a 6-hour drive...

Just chillin' with Buster, the former yard-dog, who has acclimated quite well to life "inside"...with all the perks!

Yes, it is a L-O-N-G drive from Indy to Evansville and back in one day! 6+ hours of travel for a 2-hr. meeting. *yawn* But I think we got the business...should know soon.

• It was a beautiful day, tho, and we did drive through the Hoosier National Forest.
• I love my carpet cleaner, Tim...well, not THAT way...but because everything feels so much cleaner when he's finished....no more pet and kid dirt...for a couple days, anyway
• Why don't cats always use the litter box?!?!?!?
• We took the 3 dogs to a football field tonight (its fenced in) and had a blast watching them joyfully running around. Buster, the new English Setter, is quite "birdy" and takes off after birds. Charlie, looks huge and Irish Wolfhound-like when he runs and is FAST and Rex is quite chubby, so the exercise did him good. They had a blast!
• Went to an art fair this weekend and wish I was motivated enough to make a big bunch of my jewelry to sell at a show like that; earrings that I pop out in about 5 minutes were selling for $20! and bracelets for over $100. when I KNOW that I pay about $30. to make them...
• 16-year old son is re-discovering his athletic talents in summer P.E. this month. Coaches are asking him what he's decided re: which sport he'll go out for in the fall...how flattering!
• We're slowly putting together house stuff for 20-year old daughter who's moving into a rental this fall for her jr. year at college. She's so excited. I'm glad to get rid of some extra stuff!

Laundry Rules of the House

Mom’s Laundry Rules

Dirty clothes:
Do not leave ANY dirty clothes in the laundry room unless they are in the sorter. This includes towels.

Single items:
All items must be singles; no double t-shirts or boxers inside of shorts.

Towels:
A towel is used on a clean body, and thus does not get very dirty…SO…you may use it numerous times before throwing it in the laundry.

Note: the laundress will now only wash 1 towel per person per week. Any others will be returned to you in the condition you sent it.

Pockets:
Check all pockets before you put dirty items in the laundry. Cell phones, money, pens, belts, and love notes will become the sole property of the laundress.

Dirty clothes:
Clothes that are folded or still have the crease marks on them are not to be considered “dirty”. Just because you don’t want to put them away doesn’t mean I want to rewash them! I think Goodwill would love to have these items.

Folded clothes rule:
When those clean clothes miraculously appear in your room, graciously thank the saintly person who lovingly placed them there and PUT THEM AWAY! (in drawers, folded).

Note: Failure to do this in the future will result in a generous contribution to Goodwill. Again, they’ll really like your stuff!

If you do happen to feel the whim to do a load of laundry, you MUST first fold whatever is in the dryer. DO NOT leave it unfolded or jammed into a teensy laundry basket. And do not leave your clean/semi-clean/dirty clothes in the laundry room for more than ½ day, disrupting the usual flow of laundry.

Note: Laundry left in the washer, etc. may be subject to hot drying.

Driving Teens!

Uh oh. My 16 and 3/4 year old son has finally decided to get his driver's license...rather, I told him he'd be getting it today. Unfortunately he just found his official permit; you know, the one with the official seal and the official expiration date, etc....well, apparently it went through the wash last week. He did the wash! He forgot to check the pockets for his wallet! Violation of Rule #4 of the Laundry Rules! (I'll post the Laundry Rules later...) Hopefully the folks at the BMV will feel a pang of sympathy for him (not likely) and let him get his license anyway (good luck) and not have to take the driving test again!

Memorial Day in Indy

Yes, folks, the Indy 500 is kinda a big deal. They weren't kidding when they named it "The Greatest Spectacle..." I'm not a racing fan, but you can't help but get caught up in some of it all...for instance, there's Danica Patrick....best perfomance by a rookie EVER in last year's race, pretty, photogenic....on the cover of over a dozen magazines this past year and selling everything from Secret Deodorant to... whatever. She made over a million $$ last year in racing, and probably double that in appearances, merchandise (her stuff sells 10-1 over everyone else's), endorsements, etc. And, she alone has brought people back to the sport in droves!
Then there are the Indy 500 Princesses! An old friend's daughter was one of the 33 girls out of 250 or so that applied. Grades, charm, and looks; they're ambassadors for the whole festival, so eat at some banquet probably every meal of the month. Plus, they get a scholarship, wardrobe, jewelry, get to ride around the track in a convertible on race day, plus the parade, yadda yadda....it would be good to be a princess! Maybe my daughter will try next year? Today she's out at the track demo-ing XM Satellite Radio and the very-cool IPod-like radios they now have....the IPod-thingies are free, but the earbuds are $400........that's the line, anyway :)
No, I won't go to the race....middle son will go with friends, daughter will work there and peek in on the race during a break....I, however, will be working my usual Sunday retail gig. Whatever.

P.S. it could be babies...

Yes, if you've been counting, that means we now have 3 (boy) dogs and 3 (girl) cats. And a fish tank of tropical fish and a beta fish called Wanda that my 20-year old brought back from college. Oh, and 3 children. But, as I tell my dear hubby, my nurturing self would just as soon be bringing home helpless babies, so he should be happy its just pets! :)
As I said before, you can see all the doggies on www.dogster.com by searching for Buster, Rex, and Charlie in Indianapolis. They're all great, sleep most of the time, and walk well together; 3 at a time!! I am beginning to look like a professional dog walker!

Send Milkbones, please...

Yes, we'll be needing more Milkbones, since we have a new guy who loves them (especially the large ones)...this is Buster. Poor guy is 10 years old, purebred English Setter, who was no longer wanted in his family; they always kept him outside, anyway (why not just buy a nice flowering bush?) and were moving to Florida. So, lucky guy will get to spend his retirement years at our own Pet Resort and Spa, enjoying life indoors along with buddies and soft spots to sleep. So far, he has acclimated quite well and we have been highly amused by his antics, including flipping all his food out of his food bowl, looking for the treats that his old owners used to hide beneath. He is very mellow and somewhat timid and my youngest son loves having him sleep in his fancy wicker crate right next to his bed! To see more, click here http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?j=t&i=317776

Musical Teens

Speaking of musical (if messy) teens....here's something cool that they did on a computer; find their songs on www.purevolume.com/indyfunkrevolution
They did a new one, which is somewhere on www.garageband.com about "I love you,Mother" but I can't find it...good luck!

Rainy Monday

Ick. Monday's are tough enough...but especially when its cold and rainy. Its rained for the past week or so, with no end in sight for this week. Tough on a dog owner! Walks in the rain, followed by multiple paw-wipings.
Mother's Day...here's how I spent it; church with Grammy, Grampy, Uncle Jeff, and all kids...to see Kid#2 play bass guitar in the (loud) contemporary service. Kid #1 had to leave shortly after the service started...sick; had thrown up numerous times that morning at the house of a friend, turns out. After church I got to work retail (crazy, busy day - - why do people do their Mother's Day shopping at 3pm on Mother's Day and then tell ME to "hurry and wrap this QUICK!"...your lack of planning is NOT my emergency) from 1-6:30, followed by a much nicer dinner out with family. Came home, tho, to find the house a disaster! after being gone all day and leaving things to a bunch of teenaged boys and hubby (himself, a teenaged boy at heart)....what a mess! Musical instruments and cords all over the living room, including 3 laptop computers, newspapers scattered, what-looked-like-days of dirty dishes in the living room, on counters, on desk, etc. and a laundry basket still full of now-wrinkled clean clothes from the morning... Its enough to send me over the edge! They didn't even seem to notice and took great offense to my complaining about it....

Middle of the Packer

The 30th Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon was Saturday....that's 13.1 miles....and I'm pleased to say that I finished it for about the 10th time (I've lost track). No, I didn't set any records; I'm firmly in the middle of the pack...but I was very happy to run and finish respectably, since I really hadn't trained all that well. (Finishing about 18,000th in a starting field of 35,000!) New Orleans friend, Fred, ran with me for over 10 miles, and then hubby surprised me, joining me(slowing me) in a walk/jog to the finish. My final time isn't important....but what is, is that hubby can now say that he's participated in a Mini Marathon! Yeah him! Stay tuned for pics...

This entry by Alex, age 12

Here we are, we as in, my mom and I, at home. I just went to the doctor to check to see if I have A.D.H.D. I missed some school because of the doctor appt. After the doctor my mom took me back to school, but I said that I didn't really want to go back because I only had 2 classes left so she said, "I suppose." I was as happy as....well let's just say I was really happy. So my mom and I are at home. I'm playing with Rex and Charlie, (dogs.) And my mom is doing some things on her computer. So far I'm having a fantastic Monday afternoon. Well I have to go now because my mom and I are about to go to the pet store. Catch you later!!


Sincerely,
Alex

6 Weird Things....

I was reading BusyMom's blog (always funny) and here are 6 weird things about me...(okay, I had to pick only 6). (p.s. for other blog-challenged folks, you can click on BusyMom and see her blog)
1. If I need to remember something, I switch my wedding ring to my other finger (tho, in my old age, sometimes I still forget why I switched it!)
2. It makes me insane when someone takes something (i.e. tape, scissors, etc.) and doesn't put it back.
3. I stretch in the shower every day.
4. My intense sense of smell is a curse! I hate bad smells! Bad breath, body odors, mildew, dirty bathrooms, etc. Ick.
5. When someone opens one window in the car, I always have to open another one, or my ears pop.
6. I used to sneak a travel mug of coffee into church, until they posted signs that said "no food or drink"...probably because of me!
So, that's today's list....for more, search my early bloggings for "100 things".

Work from Home

I do work from home, selling website development and other Internet solutions to the largest and the smallest of businesses. It is so frustrating, however. Apparently business culture has changed in this high-tech world that we live in, and it is no longer the NORM to return calls. Even people I am currently working with...not just prospects! I can leave 5 messages and 5 emails and still get no reply...how rude! Even the CEO of a national company once told me that he believes it's proper business etiquette to reply within 24 hours. What happened to that? How am I supposed to get anything done?

Charlie Take the Wheel...

This was our trip back from Muncie, to visit college daughter, earlier this month. Charlie, the labradoodle, thinks he's a lap dog! He weighs 45-50 pounds.


P.S. That's a cool I.U. ring that I gave my husband when he got his Master's last year...

Its a Boy Band!!

www.purevolume.com/indyfunkrevolution is the place to go for sheer entertainment! This is the future of our society, ladies and gents....what 16 year olds think! Be amused, be amazed...its my own son and his red-haired friend....and bookmark it, so you can keep track of new tracks :)

Spring Break = Painting

Last year, it was a "While You Were Out" painting job of my 16-year old's room...a total surprise for him! This, year, 12-year old was home and bored, so we painted his room, too. And yes, he was a great help! My dad taught me how to paint well, and now I taught my son...Here is the before and the after... its a really nice "denim" blue...and since he is the kid who loves change, of course we had to move furniture around, too....drums included!

Alex...awake

He wanted me to show what he looks like...awake.

A boys best friend

Labradoodle Charlie and my 12-year old, both truly asleep....every boy needs a friend like this!!

Once in a lifetime event?

Something to think about ...
On Wednesday of this week, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.
That won't ever happen again.
You may now return to your normal stuff.
(Don't look at me, I don't think these things up.)

Rex is a good boy!

This is my velcro dog, Rex! He lives to love, and that's about it!

We rescued him 4 years ago, after he'd been found wandering the neighborhood and turned in to the vet. Vet looked for owners, and kept him for a month, then we took over. You can find out more about him and his dog-brother, Charlie at http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?i=264023

No fun being old....

Old age does NOT creep up on you....it shows up overnight BAM! and you suddenly find this "pooch" on either side of your mouth and under your chin and wrinkles between your eyebrows. And, if you're over 75, apparently its the bones that start to go. At least, that's the way it is with my in-laws. First, 2 back surgeries in a year for M-I-L...the most recent, about 5 weeks ago, a "spinal fusion" which included pins and screws, much like shoring up a sagging chairseat. Now this week is F-I-L, with 2 cracked vertabrae that the surgeon squirted cement into to caulk them. So, neither one can get out of a chair without it being a major ordeal, and walking more than about a dozen steps is impossible. Old age isn't pretty.

Retail weekend

Well, I do have a "real" job...but I also fill in a couple of shifts a week at Williams Sonoma (www.williamssonoma.com) at the mall. Since 1/2 the city of Indianapolis has migrated south to Florida for the week, I was called in to work BOTH Saturday and Sunday at the store. Eeeek! And, there are tens of thousands of tourists in town this weekend for the Final Four tourney. But alas...where are all the people? The store just wasn't very busy today (I'm not going to count those newlyweds who returned over $600.worth of stuff!). I'm guessing the tourists were Downtown at that OTHER mall, rather than up north at OUR mall.
But, here was the best part of the day...after a long day on my feet, my husband met me at the door with a glass of wine and dinner already cooked! Will wonders never cease! And laundry done! Wow!!! He must've been really bored, home alone all day. (16-yr. old son headed to Florida with a friend and 12-yr. old son headed to a friend's house)
Oh, there was another good thing today....I found a great pair of $58. trousers on sale for $16.......just in case I do get that new sales job, where I'd have to start dressing up for work again... :)

Brownies 3 Shoveling ?

Just how much shoveling would I have had to do this morning to negate those 3 little brownies I just ate? mmmmmm. so good! And just for the record...I DID shovel....but not enough. We got about 4-5 inches of snow, near as I can tell. Happy first day of spring! And, we just planted a lovely 10' redbud tree this weekend....hopefully it won't freeze. $12.99 at Big Lots! We should've bought a whole bunch of them.

Endorsements of the Day

#1. My Little Green Machine....http://www.totalvac.com/parts/bisselllittle.html...this thing is something I lived without for oh-so-many years of kids and dogs, but NOT any more! It is a great and handy thing to have around. Unlike the old "dust-buster"-type thing of the past, which eventually loses its charge, this little thing plugs in, so is always at full power. It works even on days-old doggie stains (never feed your dog a ham bone again!).
#2. Crystal Light Lemonade; what a tasty way to get some of my daily water-intake! I also like the raspberry ice, which is kinda like kool-ade.
#3. Dunkin Donut Munchkins; my kids were ecstatic when I brought them back from Chgo...we don't have them in Indy, apparently. Sad. Indiana is one of the fattest states in the nation, even tho we don't have Dunkin Donuts OR Krispy Kreme! (okay, one little KK store...the other's closed!)
#4. NutriNail; dries really quickly and is a good way to re-grow nails, including those made soft by artificial nails (no...I haven't done artificial nails for about 6 years....and never will again!)
#5. Girl Scout Cookies! Especially those little Cafe Cookies, which are new this year, low-fat, and pleasantly spicy and crunchy. Yum!

Hubby's Away...

Off to Austin, TX for some big computer convention. You can tune in via http://sxsw.wordpress.com and learn all about it. He is very, very into the new technology (ed: geek-oid, nerdy, etc.!) but alas, is too advanced for this conference, apparently, as he says he is actually bored. That, added to the fact that he's a gray, 52-year old man amongst the youth of Computer-dom...and he is missing his family! Awwwwwwwwww...
Well, we're missing him here, too. Daughter is back at college after a week at home for Spring Break (well, I THINK she was home...the washer was running quite a bit...), and with hubby gone, its much quieter with just the 2 boys and me. That also means just one car for runs to the high school 2x per day, soccer practice, basketball, band practice at church, etc. etc. The Mom-mobile is up and running!!
Meanwhile, I am worried that I have a bunch of projects to complete in a short time...a costume to create for the church teen program (I'll have to post a pic when all is said and done....it's a 6'4" Elf, as in "Elf" the movie), 4 skinny black "Beatles" ties, 10 braided bracelets, and a special sewn, beaded bracelet that I promised for a silent auction. Eeek! I volunteer too much! Its all due the same weekend! I need to get busy...

Hey, its Hump Day

Ran in the rain this morning....well, it wasn't raining 'til we were all the way OUT and still had to run BACK. Ick! Wet dog in my car all the way home!
So now I'm up, fully dressed, with laundry going at 8am. Kitchen already cleaned, emails already checked, kids and dad gone. Wow.
Drama of the week; Kid1, sophomore in college, is home for Spring Break...much to her chagrin, since she'd rather be a on a beach somewhere like "everybody else". Well, I'm at least taking her to Chicago on Friday, to do some shopping downtown with my mom....and pick out a birthday present, since my baby girl will be 20 this month! Should be fun; please, Chgo. no rain!

Doodle Romp

Imagine a large warehouse-or-gym-type room, with dozens of people standing around chatting, and about 25-30 big, furry dogs chasing around amongst them...that's a Doodle Romp! Its a hoot! Labradoodles, goldendoodles, and weimerdoodles. White, black, reddish, or-"taupe"...long, shaggy hair, cropped poodle hair, or wiry hair. Amazing! And all nice, friendly dogs, getting along quite well (well, mine insisted on barking at everyone, but he was just trying to get them to pay attention to him). I guess its true what they say...the best traits of a golden (or lab or weimeraner) mixed with the best of a poodle. Its fun talking with people so passionate about their pets, too...no, not too many "dog people"...just nice people.
And, some adorable puppies...not shown here. (sorry, all butts here...had a hard time finding a good shot)

Tuesday-after-3-Day-Weekend

Oh, feels like a Monday. I'm cold; house set at just 67, but that's cold to me. No word yet from renter on buying the house! He has no credit, so I guess that's a problem!
My friend scored big points with me by bringing me a big bag of Garrett's popcorn from Chicago....mmmmmm!! Homemade caramel corn and cheese popcorn blended. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it; its to die for! Oh, she also took my 12-year old to Chicago and ESPN Zone for the day....BIG points!
Have I mentioned lately what a sucker for dogs I am? There's a cutie in Ohio who's family is heartbroken they are moving to Europe and can't take the dog...needs a home. I wish I could find him one! I just can't imagine THREE dogs in our house!!
Okay, I'm a sucker for kids, too. I took my "little sis" out to the mall yesterday, since it was a holiday. Oh yes, I'm also assistant director for "Dessert Theater", an original musical production of 120+ teenagers at our church. Its....interesting....trying to rein in all that energy. We have just 4 weeks to pull it all together for a weekend of performances.

Please, Mr. Renter....buy our house!!

Happy Birthday to me and other news items

Ooops. My birthday was Monday the 13th...mid-40's is all you need to know! It came and went rather un-eventfully, tho I did get taken out to lunch and dinner. AND....I got a new pair of running shoes, which were sorely needed (and I do mean sorely...my knees feel it when the cushioning wears out).
News on the kids front....in the past 6 weeks or so we've experienced Scarlet Fever, strep, some female disorder as yet undiagnosed, and shingles! Thank goodness I only have 3 children! We're working our way through the "s"'s....what's next? My son says "syphillis"...ha ha. Very funny. Not.

Random thoughts...

Eating hot wheat cereal...tastes just like the "Hot Ralston" we had as a kid, which they don't make it any more, but this tastes just like it! 4G fiber...My 19-year old came home from college the other night (its an hour away)...just to spend the night with us! She tires of the party scene there and apparently gets bored just sitting around....I'll take it while I can, 'cause once a boyfriend enters the scene, she'll spend all her time with him!
Tomorrow is the first "Comedy Sportz" match for my 16-year old, which is exciting and a bit nerve-wracking. Its improvisational competition between schools, much like "Whose Line is it Anyway?" on Comedy Network. Good for thinking on your feet...
Super Bowl...everything is Super Bowl and Super Bowl eating. the Colts screwed up; so close, yet didn't get there.
Still job hunting; I love my current job, since I'm home all the time....but I'm bored and I'm broke, making 1/2 what I used to make. So, awaiting word from a tv station(won't happen), 2 ad agencies(won't happen for a couple months), and now another company who pursued me. I don't know what the perfect job would be...probably staying home and making $100,000 or so!!! Hah!! Or working with animals....but the money has to be there, with 2 houses and 2 tuitions, and it just hasn't been there at all. Its sad that you can't just live your life without having to worry about the finances. Is that what God intended?
Here's what I do well...take care of people. My good friend called to tell me her favorite aunt passed away. So, I'm bringing food and taking care of her dog, so she can be with her mom. That's what I do.

I promised pictures....

This is my youngest...what a handsome guy, huh? What you can't see is the pure blonde "surfer hair" hiding under that hat. He's 12 and totally into drums, his social life and basketball. Likes to go for the 3-pointer. Pretty good on the sax, too.

*Y*A*W*N*

Oh, sorry about that. I'm yawning constantly this morning. Its only 9:33 and it feels like noon! I've already run 4 miles, showered/dressed/primped, drove son to school, answered emails, and straightened the kitchen. Geesh! What's left to do? I feel like a nap. That's what my 3 animals that are in sight are doing; one cat and 2 dogs.....snoozola. Ah, the life of a pampered pet.
Today, I'm so proud of my 24-year old niece who just accepted a job with the Houston Zoo! Yeah! Moving from Chicago is a big thing, but well worth it for the valuable experiences she'll gain. If you don't make a move like that when you're young, you'll never do it later, when you're tied down with kids and spousal career. Oh, to be that young again...

Sunday

Precious Sunday; usually up and off to church, but today we slept in, ate pancakes and sat around watching "The Actors Studio". Ah...relaxation.
I'm asking you for some important prayer for us, tho....it is Sunday, after all! Our renter has indicated some interest in buying our albatros...I mean HOUSE... You can't even imagine what a tremendous relief that would be to not have to worry about that house any more...no more extra mortgage payments, property tax, expensive repairs, concern that the sump pump will keep running, bad credit reports from having 2 houses on our surprisingly low income, etc. Oh please, please let it happen. And while you're at it, put in a good word for me on a job; I've had a couple interviews, and am waiting word...I'd love to keep my current job; its the perfect job, since I work from home and make my own hours! But, I'd need to close a lot more business on a regular basis for me to make the income we need......its just not happening and I've given it a year!

Rants....

My 16-year old said I should have a blog just about "rants", so I'll do this one entry for him, okay? Weather has been unseasonably warm this month, so when we got some snow last night...all the idiots were out driving as I tried to commute from one place to another. Why do people think that a little bit of snow falling means they have to put blinkers on and drive 15 miles per hour?! Get outta my way, folks! I'm not a crazy driver, but really the weather was just fine to go a steady 25-30 WITHOUT blinkers!! and if you're a grandpa in a silver Buick or Pontiac hunched down in the seat with nothing but your hat and handicapped hanger showing....you shouldn't be out in this weather anyway...go home to your cats.
And while I'm ranting....why didn't my husband put the trash out this morning? that's like the only household chore he's regularly responsible for...and has missed it 3 of the last 4 weeks now.
Why don't people answer voice mails any more? I get tired of being completely ignored by clients, potential clients, and prospective employers, after leaving vm after vm day after day. Yes, emails too. Have people become that rude?
I spent much of the holiday weekend doing a huge perge of an unfinished basement room, painting and organizing and turning it into a friendly sewing and craft room for myself....shelves full of wrapping paper, fabrics, jewelry supplies, and seasonal decorations. It looks great! I actually have space to move around, iron some, etc......no wait. The reality here is, I finished the room, painting and all, sometime Saturday afternoon and by Sunday afternoon my 2 teenaged sons had moved a drum set, 2 guitars, 2 amps, and a soundboard with microphone into MY ROOM!!! They said the accoustics were good since they could close the door and not disturb the rest of the house so much. AAHHHHHHEEEEE!!!!! So much for my private creative space. There is an advantage to having the drums more muffled now.....but I am not that willing to give up my beautiful avacado-shaded walls that soon!! :(
Well, back to work; I have to leave a few more v.m.'s that people will probably never return...

Happy New Year!

Gosh, I haven't been very good about keeping you updated, have I? Well, things are always crazy. Friend Tom was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder and was hospitalized for 6 days while they forced nearly 6 gallons of an expensive plasma-related goo into his system. He will not be cured, but should eventually find his symptoms have been eased. That's what we pray for! It did motivate me to donate blood, which I hadn't done in quite a few months. They love me there; I'm very healthy and have a fairly rare blood type; A-
Kids and all had a great Christmas; we managed to get each one something that they loved and were very surprised to receive; that always makes me happy! After-Christmas bills aren't too awful...but we're still buried in other debt, including tuition payments and a construction loan that won't allow us an extension...don't know where that money's coming from? I'm working on a new job; perhaps that will help stop the bleeding. We have just been incredibly unlucky for the past 2 years....I'm so hoping that we're over that cycle and headed in a more positive direction now.
Well, next post I'll show you some good pictures...

The goose is getting fat...

that means "Christmas is coming"! And the family is getting increasingly excited. I thought I'd tell you how dumb I am. Now, you may know me well enough to know that I am dumb sometimes, or you may be genuinely surprised to find out this little-known fact. So, here goes. I was working 6-midnight or so last night, and scheduled to work 9a-4p Saturday, Christmas Eve, with the in-law family arriving at our house at 4pm for a huge dinner of rib roast, etc. and gifts galore. I was starting to panic, telling my family that really, with me working all night, and all the next day, I only had 3 hours to prepare. I was placing hors d'oeurve plates on the counter, mixing dips, etc. and setting the dinner table, so when I arrived home from work Christmas Eve, all would be ready to go. Suddenly my daughter said to me....Mom! Tomorrow is Friday! Its not Christmas Eve until the NEXT DAY! I, of course, said, nuh-uh and then....total silence as I realized that I did, indeed, have an entire extra day to prepare. W*O*W did I feel dumb. But what a gift! A gift of a day...to watch Holiday Inn, etc. (Actually I spent a portion of the day at the Minute Clinic, getting antibiotics for an icky sinus infection...such is life).

Retail Christmas

My muscles are sore. No, I didn't run this weekend...unfortunately, since I certainly ate lots of junk. But I'm still sore. Its the retail thing. I fill in at Williams-Sonoma during the holidays, which means standing on a cement floor for hours on end...which makes my joints sore. And lots of deep knee bends, as I grab for bags. But I do enjoy the work, for the most part. Its certainly easy and fairly brainless, and definitely social. I enjoy taking the crabbiest customer and getting them to be in a better mood by talking with them or just giving them extra service (like wrapping their gift, etc.). Well, many crabbies can be transformed....not all! There are still those who think the world revolves around them; the ones who want separate receipts for every item, and each item wrapped separately....while 6 people wait in line behind them....and they only spent $30! Its always the low spenders who require the most service..why is that? The ones who spend hundreds...or thousands...never expect much and seem to be much more appreciative. Why is it so hard for some people to be pleasant and appreciative? Why do they have to go around acting so entitled? THOSE are the people who make me miserable!

Our newest baby...

This is Olivia....who spent the last YEAR at the Humane Society, poor thing. She's as sweet as could be, and obviously gorgeous!
So far she's quarantined....we'll introduce her to the rest of the ark later...

Christmas is coming!

I like this time of year, but occasionally need to stop for a deep breath. Whew! Why does everything hit at once? K2 is performing in the church Christmas program...that means nightly rehearsals...yes, he's 16, but no license yet :( And church is 20+ minutes away...past 2 malls worth of traffic! I'm working some extra hours in retail through the holidays...yeah! discount at Williams Sonoma! (ahem...gained 5 pounds on Peppermint Bark last Christmas). And of course there's shopping....have 3 or so people left to buy for, but at least I finally have lists from them. And time spent weekly with my mentor student; I'm helping her make presents for her brother and grandmother, who's raising her. And my usual job; trying to line up business for next year! And our decorations are up....but no Christmas tree yet! And we may not see the Dickens village this year; just can't find the motivation for that one. breathe, breathe...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Okay, we're down to the wire here. You'll notice I haven't written in awhile; its been pretty stressful around here. ...
Now I'm into final preps for the holiday. We only have 11 people coming, but it takes the same prep as 30! Let's see...today is housecleaning (gotta wait 'til the last minute on that one, since the dogs shoot hair out regularly!). And I'll be making a jello mold...and the sweet potatoes are boiling; have to turn them into some casserole (okay, I admit it...I'll do the marshmallow and brown sugar thing). And put together some appetizers. Tomorrow morning the bird goes in; the easy thing is that we're not eating 'til 5:30pm (someone's work schedule...) so I don't have to get up in the middle of the night to put it in or anything. And, I have time for a quick "Turkey Trot" run at 7am before the final preparations begin. Of course I also have to make my 5th or 6th trip to the grocery, too, since I forgot a few important things (butter...cream cheese).
Have a wonderful holiday! And be sure to watch WGN at 7pm Central time Sunday night for the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Kid2 is marching with the Cathedral HS "Pride of the Irish" marching band.....should be fairly close to the front. He's playing mellophone. Go Irish!

Another big weekend coming up!

So last weekend was all about the daughter, tho we rarely saw her, since she was working at Vicki's Secret every day. Good for her! Earned some money to pay for all the "hoodies" she's been buying.
This weekend we're heading out on a traditional extended family "camping extravaganza and eating jamboree". Brother and his family, sister and her hubbie, my mom, and my family...all together under the stars in tents, and cooking on a real campfire. Sound so wonderful....until you check weather.com and find out it will be in the 30's overnight! EEEKKKKK!!! That means sleeping with a hat on...and we'll definitely have 2-dog nights, too....we're bringin' the boys! See previous post for Charlie(aka Chuck, Charles, Budski, etc.)...the other mutt is a golden retriever/Irish setter mix named Rex. He is a true love muffin; wants to be pet, etc. all the time. He'll keep us very warm...I know the food will be good, and great fall colors in the state park during the day....I just hope we don't regret the sleeping outside part!

Missing posts...

Okay, I've admitted many times that I'm not the best blogger out there; am pretty clueless with a lot of the bells and whistles, mostly because I don't take the time to figure it all out. So, I lost a couple of posts this week. Here's one I found...
"Don't know where the post I wrote the other day went...hmmm how frustrating! I know it was a good one too. Talked about my college-aged daughter coming home for a long weekend...finally! Haven't seen her since mid-August. She needed a little parental-nuturing (transl: Doritoes and her own soft bed, plus a good mom-funded trip to Walgreens) and also needed to get away from the sick environment of BSU; sick in many ways, I'm sure, but I was referring to the fact that she has had various odd maladies this fall, including mono and now Scarlet Fever! She has enough trouble with studying, without the fever, aches and pains...

My handsome boy, Charlie!

Various ADD things

I do think I have adult ADD...I flip around from one thing to another. This morning at 8am I was cleaning the fridge...Here are a few things on my mind:
1). Friend Allison, the evacuee from New Orleans. She's been coming here every Weds. after school to "study" with my son and another friend. Last night I cooked dinner for 4 teenagers (hubby is out of town all week again...see his blog @ http://iunews.blogspot.com/2005/10/final-ceremony.html ). Anyway (see...ADD!) the kids were great and had so much fun together. It felt good to know that Allison has this break in her week, to get her mind off all the depressing stuff of her home in New Orleans, Dad's new wife, friends she's apart from, a best friend who recently died in a car crash, etc. You have to find those moments...
2). Guilt. I always feel guilty, working from home. I should be making phone calls right now, but here I am!
3). Fiona, the formerly fat cat. You know, the one who was attacked by a coyote (don't you read this blog regularly??). Now, I'm having to change dressings every day; 5 layers of stuff over raw flesh. What I do for love...the other alternative was surgery...but I hate to put her through all that again, right when she's just gotten perky again (ahem...it was also over $800.)
4). Norah Jones and Dolly Parton...a new CD "Feels Like Home" I'm listening to right now.
5). The guy who's renting our old house....he is very picky, apparently, and keeps making us fix dumb stuff that is really adding up to many hundreds of dollars.....stuff that we've lived with for years! Like a door that floats open, a shower handle that leaks....nothing that is very bad, and even the handyman thinks he's overly picky. That handle cost nearly $400., since they had to go through the wall to get to it....and its in the basement!! Who cares?!
6). Kitchen curtains; I really wanted to get them up before hubby comes home (oops, you read that, didn't you, punk?)....may not happen.
7). Work...oh yes....I'd better get to it!!
8). Home; haven't been "home" to Chicago since April...miss it, but kids sports every weekend keep us in Indy....

I want to come back as....

My neighbor recently told me that if he had to come back to Earth as a dog, he wanted to be my dog! hahaha. Its so true, tho; we really do love and spoil our pets. 2 cats (one, sleeping on the desk, under the warm lamp, next to me...the other in the sun on the screened porch) and 2 dogs. Yes, its true, I've been known to slip shredded cheese into the dog's bowl to get him to eat his food. And yes, at least one dog sleeps with us...why do you think we got a king-sized bed? I am always trying to find a dog for someone; same neighbor just adopted a lab from lab rescue and she's a real sweetheart. I visit websites regularly, just to check out "what's out there" looking for a home. www.petfinder.com is my favorite; you can plug just about anything in there and they'll find it for you! So, go ahead.....save a life; it will truly enrich yours, too! Here's my current midwestern favorite.

Where were you...?

23 years ago this week? I was in Scottsdale, AZ on my honeymoon :) Forgot to mention to y'all that our anniversary was last Sunday. How did we celebrate? We went out Saturday night to a charity event, then went to lunch with friends on Sunday. That's our life, I guess....not too exciting, but very...comfortable. Hubby's birthday was yesterday, too...he's WAY older than me hee hee. I always like to remind him that I was a little 7th grader when he was a big man on campus at college. Big Friday night plans today....off to a h.s. football game. Perfect midwestern football night, tho; about 60 degrees and sweatshirt weather. I love it!

Its Wednesday...

When I was in my twenties, that meant "hump day", a day when all the DINK's from work got together and had a beer (or two) and talked about nothing. Now that I'm in my 40's, here's my Wednesday: Vacuum house before work(2 dogs and 2 cats springing hair off, as I watch). Continue to nurse sick coyote-attacked kitty, whose wounds are now starting to look way, way worse, as they get better (like a severe burn, the vet said). Make lots of phone calls for work. Check in with company where I'm trying to get a new job; 3rd interview pending, no progress. Pick ups from 3 schools (2 are mine; 3rd is evacuee from New Orleans) and make sure they settle down to study (with snacks). Head 1/2 hour away to Cross Country meet, then dash son to basketball tryouts as soon as he's finished running. Dinner? geez, it'll be 8pm by then...Pizza night, I think! Again!
Hey one more thing...our rescued dog that we've had for nearly 2 years, and all this time we were told he was an Italian Spinone mix....looks just like a couple of labradoodles that we've found online. Take a look!! www.bocker.tv This dog is actually making money being in TV commercials! We always knew our Charlie was cute....

When the dad's away...

...things can get crazy. First, that means that I have to...er, GET TO drive my 16-year old to school....at 6:30am. That means 12-year old gets to head off to the bus 15 minutes early...yet he still missed the bus the first day. He called me as I was heading to work, already 25 minutes from home....so luckily I have a wonderful neighbor who didn't mind (too much) jumping into clothes and getting him off to school. Turns out the bus driver fell in the shower and the sub missed half the stops! That was Monday. Yesterday I picked up Kid2 at 2p, brought him home (20 mins. each way), then over to bring a friend to our house for a study session, then back to pick up Kid3 (20 mins.) to take to soccer; turns out he'd forgotten his equip. so back home and back to the soccer field. Then back to pick him up again and drive other friend home...30 mins. away. Whew! On the road from 2p-7p; thanks to KFC for dinner :) Looking forward to Dad being home today...

My poor kitty

If you didn't know this already, I am a huge sucker for animals. We have 2 large dogs (rescued) and 2 cats (also rescued). When I go to the mall, I of course, visit the pet store to take a couple dogs out of their teensy cages for a while. (Yes, I'm totally in love with an adorable labradoodle right now and have visited her twice.)
Anyway! One of our cats is a huge, 17-lb. yellow tabby (think, Garfield) and her name is Fiona ( you know, Shrek's girlfriend had a little weight problem, too) We've had her outside this summer because she is so lazy that she doesn't venture more than 10 feet from the deck. Well, yesterday morning I found a bunch of tufts of her fur in the grass and went looking for her and sure enough, she'd gotten in some kind of a fight. This does not compute! This cat does nothing all day but lay in a big blob and wait for dinner. She isn't very sociable, just lays around like a (big) rug. We thought she was safe under the deck.
Well, after a trip to the vet and lots of fur shaved off to show more bites than I'd realized, the vet informed us that she'd probably been bitten by a COYOTE! Excuse me, I live in the largest city in the state and am in the middle of Suburbia. But yes, they could determine the size of the jaw and it most likely was that. She also was suffering a 106 degree fever (cats are normal at 101) and they put her on morphine! Eeek! Quick, grab the other cat and explain to her that when she meows at the door we will no longer allow her outside to pee. Explain to teen-aged son that he now has to go back to cleaning kitty litter every week. And explain to husband that his free cat is now in debt a couple of hundred dollars....mostly due to the THREE medications that she's now on. Wow.

Design on a Dime

You may know that we moved a year ago, into a house we'd built. So, that means we're still puttering here and there, moving pictures around, etc. We can't quite find a good place for the piano...no, I don't like it in the dining room! so it may end up downstairs in the finished-basement-I-guess-we'll-call-it-a-rec-room. That means we need to get rid of the foos ball table that no one uses. In fact, we have enough junk for a garage sale! but I hate doing them...will someone please come here and do it for me?
Meantime, I am also trying to decided on colors, etc. for the dining room walls. My friend will faux paint it and I know it will be gorgeous...but I need to decide on some colors...everything else is neutral. Then, maybe that garage sale that someone needs to help me with, will raise enough money to pay my friend the painter!

More Katrina & Fred

I'm still overwhelmed by all the coverage and questions of "why no supplies?", etc. Its much like that post-9/11 feeling of powerlessness and some hopelessness. I'm starting to turn to stupid sit-coms just to get my mind off it. "Joey" made me laugh last night!
Meanwhile, we are still tracking friend, Fred, now in Baton Rouge at his sister's, along with his mom and wife/daughter. They're having to make some very difficult decisions such as buying a new house there, enrolling daughter in a new high school there, etc. She already tragically lost her mom at age 9, moved cross-country at age 12, and now will have to change h.s.'s as a junior, separated from all her friends. Wow. She's an amazing girl, tho, and mature beyond her years...no wonder. Pray for them.
By the way, you can find satellite photos of Katrina-damaged streets here Also, here Its pretty amazing!

Fred & Katrina

We do have a very dear friend, Fred, a former neighbor and running partner, who moved to New Orleans a few years ago. He lives less than a mile from Lake Ponchartain, in an area that is apparently submerged in over 6 feet of water right now. I know he and family fled to a sister's house in Baton Rouge...but now what? How do you recover from 6 or more feet of water in your home, covering Oriental rugs and leather sofas? Eeek. What a disaster for so many people. When will kids be back to school? Wow... I ran along that lake just last year.
On a much lighter note, I worked a concession stand for charity at a concert last night and got to see my college daughter! She's been back to school for 2 weeks, so it was good to see her...and of course she bummed twenty bucks from me for food.

Good Things..

We should all have times when we sit back and think about the GOOD things, rather than only the inconvenient ones. Oprah has some word for that...a praise journal, maybe? Whatever. Here goes...WE RENTED OUR HOUSE LAST WEEK!!! We have owned 2 homes for over a year now and finally someone will assist us with one of those (big) mortgages. Hallaleuja. Not a moment too soon, too, since 2 tuitions loom, and soccer fees, school fees, a colonoscopy, etc. etc. Other goodies...3 healthy kids. All happy in school. We live in a beautiful home on a golf course. Husband has a new job that he really likes. Benefits are good. Sales are looking better for fall in my job. I work out regularly. We attend church with a bunch of friends. Life is good. Now, if I could just figure out how to make this blog better....still working on pictures, links, etc. (I need help, BusyMom!) Good thing I'm married to a computer geek ( www.nealmoore.com)

Parenting means saying good-bye

I've found, as they grow, you do brace yourself to say good-bye quite a bit. Wasn't last year supposed to be such a tear-jerker, when K1 went off to college? Then why did I feel so sad and nostalgic when I took her BACK to college this year? We did have a wonderful summer with her, but she was way excited to be back in her social mecca, called College.
Then there's K3, who started middle school this year! He was as excited and nervous as a 1st-grader, with his clothes laid out a full week in advance, etc. Today, however, on Day 3 of the school year, he informed me, "Mom, you don't have to walk me to the bus today. I can handle it." Luckily, I can see the corner (for spying) from his brother's window! :) And K2 is having a great year as a h.s. sophomore. He's slipped right back into the routine rather easily. Girls are I.M-ing regularly...

Work from home

It sure has its advantages; drove some 5 hours today to pick up K3 from camp (whew! I think there's a boy under all that dirt.... I'll know for sure after a few loads of laundry)....and I'm still working 'cause I have my cell phone and email handy.
Disadvantages, too, tho....I'm really bored right now. I'm just not as challenged because there isn't too much work going on. Something really needs to happen here; I can only sit around like this for so long before I really go crazy.
P.S. The girls at camp thought he was "hot"....even wrote it inside his ball cap. I guess he's set for middle school...

Summer Camp

It sure is quiet around here this week. K2 is away at band camp, marching his blisters off in 85 degree humidity, and K3 is way down in the hills of southern Indiana at another camp. Wow, I wish I were a kid again, going to camp! What a blast! But, er, no, back to reality.

And I do have to mention my husband's cousin's son (?) who placed 5th in the country at the Jr. Olympics Track and Field championships this weekend. He's a great runner, with a 5-ish minute mile!! I run a lot, mind you, but even with mountain lions chasing me, I doubt I could clock a 5-ish minute mile. Good job Brandon! Even in the extreme heat, you did great!

One Hot Woman

And I do mean hot. Like, really, really hot. Just this morning I got in my car after my annual ob/gyn appt. (that's another story) and the temperature registered...I kid you not!...124 DEGREES!!! Yikes! Now, the car is black, and once I got going, it dropped to a cool 94. Whew! But in true Indiana style, it is also about 85% humidity, forcing everyone to always say "its not the heat...its the humidity!" I'd say anything above, say, 80, is just do darned hot!
Now about that ob/gyn appt....no never mind :) But I NEVER want to hear a man say how awful it is having to bend over and cough!

Interview with a 12-year old

Today we're interviewing K3, newly 12-year old...busy playing NCAA Football 2005 on X-Box. Here's the interview: "What has been your favorite part of the summer so far?" "Not going to school" "What do you still want to do before school starts in 4 1/2 weeks?" "Just hang with my friends" "What cool things have you done?" "Jet-skiing, tubing, laser tag, skateboarding, golfing, swimming, basketball camp, band camp, vacation, boating, football, hanging out with friends, movies, online with I.M." (ed. note: geesh this kid is spoiled...he's also spent approximately 8-12 nights at other people's homes!) "What are you looking forward to as a big Middle Schooler?" "Middle School basketball, better lunches, school dances".
Thank you for that brief glimpse into a 12-year-old's mind...

Midlifing...

Midlifing...as in living in midlife. The recent Time Magazine article explained it quite well....read it! hee hee. Basically, a guy can buy a red sports car and/or hook up with a pretty young thing (you'd better NOT)....but a woman is so much more complex...or not so easily pleased, hmm? So, we volunteer some more, take on more pets, go on "adventure" trips, buy more new shoes and clothes, handbags, and cosmetics (okay, and skin care!) and we're still "in a funk". That's where blogs come in, I s'pose.....connecting with others like me :) Well, they don't usually KNOW I'm "connecting"...that's "lurking" and I'm the Queen of Lurkdom. So, Busymom and BunnyBurrow and MommyMatters and StumblingthroughLifeWithGrace, now you know! Who else? I'm still a plebe at this, so feel free to clue me in.

Door County, Wisconsin

Heard of it? Its a peninsula that sticks out into Lake Michigan at the top of Wisconsin. It is a series of charming and quaint little towns with names like Egg Harbor and Fish Creek and Sister Bay. For history buffs, there are tales of centuries-old shipwrecks and lighthouses, and for shoppers there are scores of little shops, all seemingly decked out with gorgeous gardens and cute signs. Not a franchise in sight...barely even a gas station. What a relaxing place. We even took in an official fish boil (no, its not an annoying skin disease...) Yum!! (okay, the finished product shown in that link looks way icky, compared to the butter-soaked plates that we actually had...)

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? Oh yeah, that would be Grandma's 3am- to-the-bathroom flashlight...or the reflection off Grammy's cane. Hah! Its true! We converged on Door County with 9 people, including 3 grandparents and an extra 11-year old boy (as if one wasn't enough). Whew! And it worked! We all had a grand time...(grandparents, get it?) Seriously, the grandparents got a kick out of spending real time with the kids and the kids seemed to enjoy everybody being together, too. Fireworks, go-carts, shopping, eating, miniature golfing, eating, etc. and did I say eating? All for a nice long weekend.

Oh yes, and one more thing.....no humidity! 75 degrees and NO HUMIDITY! Then, back to Indiana, land of a constant sauna lately. Oh well, I got a good run in Saturday, in 55 degree coolness, along county roads. Very nice. I highly recommend vacations :)

Current Entry

Busy weekend. Birthday party at Laser Tag place; note to all birthday party retailers; do it just like this place did; greet parents at the door and introduce yourself, saying, "Relax; we'll handle everything"....and they did! I didn't even put the candles on the cake or refill a single drink! And 7 12-year old boys had a roaring good time shooting each other with phaser guns, playing video games, and eating. Hubby and I relaxed later that evening on a nice boat ride with friends...yes, central Indiana has a reservoir, but at dusk with a beautiful red setting sun, you'd swear you were anywhere other than that! Blue herons, nostalgic music, etc. and it turned into a great night. Okay, the guys took over the music and we were subjected to some Led Zepplin and Blood, Sweat and Tears, and a lot of 40-something air guitar, but it still fit the mood. Teenaged daughter K1 called in the midst of it all, and upon hearing rather hysterical laughter and music, asked, "Mom?! What are you doing? Are you drunk??!" She couldn't quite come to grips with her parents having a good time on a Saturday night and hung up on me! And for once, she went to bed before us!

Problems with Blogs

On one of our computers, Blogspot always comes up in Chinese (or some other Asian language I don't recognize). At least twice lately I've written an entire entry and had it disappear for no reason! Eeek! Those are my excuses...er...REASONS for not having a current entry!

One time...at band camp...

Band Camp; isn't that such an American tradition? My youngest, K3, is entering middle school in the fall, which marks the official beginning of band. So, they start the kids out in the summer, so quickly bring them "up to speed". Its amazing, really; Friday we picked up the alto sax (ed: just shoot me; give a 12-year old boy a loud, squeaky horn...introduce it to the dog, who proceeds to howl every time it comes out of the case...or was that me howling?!) , which he didn't even know how to put together, let alone how to blow into it. Monday he proudly went off to 4-hours of camp, and by Tuesday afternoon was playing a real song! Okay, it only had 3 notes, but it was recognizable! I think he's a prodigy! hee hee. And, the dog is now howling in the right key, by the way; play a C note, and he howls C....maybe I can win that $10,000 America's Funniest Videos, yet!

Comings and Goings

In the words of the precocious 8-year old next door, to my husband..."They just grow up really fast, don't they?" Well, little Kimberly, my niece, just graduated from high school. That means that she will be headed to Oklahoma (where?!) for college in just 3 short months...the 3rd kid in the family, now, to head off for higher education. Wow. Little Kim. And, 4th in her class, too. Way to go, Kim! (Now quit saying "Me and my boyfriend" and quit ending sentences with "at", as in, "Here's where my prom was at"...eeek! What's up with poor language skills today?! (And Mom, typos don't count))
Summer has officially started for my 5th....er, 6th.... grader...and my college freshman daughter. Poor middle child still has 2 h.s. finals before he can officially celebrate. And, no summer vacation in sight for husband OR myself! Well, we'll squeeze in a long weekend here and there...but we'll never have that "school's out for summer!" feeling again, like we had that last day of school.
They make a big deal out of 5th grade graduation here, since the kids are now on to middle school. Graduation ceremonies were Thursday, and Friday was the last day of school, so as the 5th graders proceeded down the hallway towards the door for that last time, all the teachers and parents lined the halls and applauded; many of the girls sobbed and boys pretended to be cool with it. It was very touching. Then, those kids whose parents had picked them up, raced to the front of the school to wave furiously as the busses pulled away for that last time. Even my son, who has struggled to like 5th grade all year, solemnly commented on the way home, "I'm really gonna miss this, Mom. I'm gonna miss all those kids, and my teacher."

www.rideofsilence.org

I am a runner, not a cyclist...altho its been said that most bikers are former runners (who've been injured, etc.)...but tonight I'm hitting the road with my old friend, Scott, for a 12-mile trek to commemorate those who've been hit while cycling...namely, Scott's dear friend, Dave, who was hit by a car and killed about 20 years ago while on a rural ride with Scott. Back then, few people wore helmets...thankfully we've seen some progress since then.
Well, in order to ride tonight, I had to take my (1983 Schwinn Le Tour) bike in and have the tires replaced, chain greased (mechanic: "geez, this thing's dry as a bone"), replace batteries in my Cateye odometer/speedometer, and buy a helmet! I am so ready. Hubby's been starting to ride his bike a bit (transl: tall daughter's cool bike), so maybe we'll have a new sport (transl: exercise!) to share. I'm excited to get back on my bike, tho; haven't ridden since I was injured from running about 2 years ago...hence the dried-up tires and chain :)
Public Service announcement of the day: please wear your helmet and make your kids wear them, too! I've heard of way too many close calls!!

She's here!

How do I know? Because the garage door opened at 3am...that's when Craig left, she says...and she told me the car was out of gas; that's her not-so-subtle way to ask for gas money...and the left-over cake from hubby's master's graduation was all eaten (that was all she ate yesterday)...THAT's how I know...not that I really SEE her, mind you....but there are those signs...

Kid #1

She's almost home! College Freshman Daughter is finishing up 2 final finals and then we head this afternoon to pick her up....and the world we know so well is about to change once again! New rules, new curfews for a now-19-year-old....wow. More gray hairs for mom.

Post Race Anxiety

Well, it didn't rain in Nashville on Saturday morning...well, kinda, but not much more than a misty-drizzle. Just enough to melt the Body Glide off my inner thighs, so I have major chafing wounds! Eeek. And, okay, I'll admit this publicly...no wait, first you have to know that I have run in more than a dozen half-marathons over the past years, so I'm not a neophyte...but I actually did get sick at.....mile two. (Can you see me blush with shame?) I am blaming it on the incredibly long porta potty lines pre-race; I wasn't fully prepared to run for over 2 hours! Anyway, I have too many gastro and female issues and may never do a long race again. I did manage to gut it out (ewww...word choice) and considering all, my "under 2 1/2 hours" time wasn't all that bad, I guess. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. My running partners finished about 30 minutes before I did!!
I decided that running a marathon or 1/2 marathon is a lot like childbirth; you look forward to it and plan every little thing about it, and after its all done, you look back on it fondly and enjoy reliving it with other participants, over a fresh lager and a country band or two....but the actual act of doing it often is painful and well, something you just sorta forget. At least for me, because I am not a "real runner"; that is, I am a runner who merely runs so I can eat Oreos and sip mochas without too much guilt. And, thanks Busy Mom, for thinking of me!! :)

Race Anxiety

Its real. I feel it. I've lost sleep over it. Ihave genuine race anxiety. Call me mildly insane, I know, but I am actually driving 4 1/2 hours down and 4 1/2 hours back for the dubious pleasure of running 13.1 miles in what could be a full thunderstorm! That really does sound wacky, doesn't it? But, I am committed to running 2 half-marathons each year with my running group...one in the spring and one in the fall. It keeps the carrot in front of my nose, keeps me "out there" exercising regularly, etc. etc. But the days before the race are always a bit nerve-wracking. Especially this one, since its in Nashville; I've never run in it before so I'm not familiar with the route , parking, etc. and I could very easily be running the majority of it alone, since my group is small for this one, and they are really pushing for great times....and I'm older than they are! And not so motivated! But, sigh, I spent the bucks already, paid for a hotel, etc. and can't back out now....so WISH ME LUCK! And pray the demons of various potential physical ailments stay away.... :)

Oprah

One of the benefits of working from home is being able to have the tv on in the background. I probably catch up with Oprah about twice a week.
Here's the question of the day...who comes first in your household? Your husband and your marriage....or your kids? Apparently most people put their kids first. I'd have to say that is the same in our family, tho the kids have always understood that our marriage is very important and there are times that they need to "back off" so Dad and I can have our time, we're talking, etc. I believe that without a good marriage....the kids will suffer, so what have you proved if you've put the kids first and forgotten the marriage? Is that why over 50% of marriages end in divorce in America?

Too funny to just forward..."BOYS"

RAISING BOYS
a) For those with no children - this is totally hysterical!
b) For those who already have children past this age, this ishilarious.
c) For those who have children this age, this is not funny.
d) For those who have children nearing this age, this is a warning.
e) For those who have not yet had children, this is birth control.
The following came from an anonymous Mother in Austin, Texas...Things I've learned from my Boys (honest and not kidding):
1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft.house 4 inches deep.
2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with rollerblades, they can ignite.
3.) A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on.When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit bya ceiling fan.
7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.
8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9.) A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.
10.) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-yearold Boy.
11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
12.) Super glue is forever.
13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can'twalk on water.
14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15.) VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
20.) The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.
21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.
23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
24.) 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brakefluid.
25.) Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.

Ugh...peeps!

No, I love peeps! That's the problem, see...I've been eating too many peeps...preferably the slightly-stale ones! and various other candies and cookies from Easter baskets. And I'm paying the price; the scale shows it and this morning's run showed it, too...ugh!!! We're training for a mini-marathon on 4/30 (Nashville Country Music Marathon and Mini)...and I really need to be running about 10 miles right now...but I was dying this morning...absolutely no energy...and I'm sure its sugar overload. So...my friend, Kurt, and my sister are both bugging me about Veggi-Matic juice. I'm gonna try it! I may even buy a juicer from Overstock ($130. for $52.)...whaddya think? Anybody have a recipe? Kurt says carrots, celery, parsley (to de-stinkify you), and apple (for flavor). I gotta think it is SO good for you....if you can just get past the yuck factor.

Praise the Lord!

He really is there! Our accountant called yesterday...yes, Easter Sunday our tax guy called us! to tell us that we were, in fact, not indebted to the federal government, but that they would be sending us a refund and what is our checking account number for the direct deposit? WOW! That was certainly somewhat of an Easter miracle for us; after working on contract last year (translation: not having taxes taken out)...we were sure we'd have to pay a huge chunk. But no; paying on 2 mortgages (not by choice, mind you) has some distinct advantages when it comes to taxation. Whew! Dodged a big bullet this time!
p.s. We praise Him anyway... :)

Work from Home

I think I am really getting to like this working from home scenario. This morning I sat down (in my jammies) and read and answered some emails...then ate breakfast...then more emails and a couple of calls...then I took my dog and chatterbox 11-year old for a walk along the golf course cartpaths. It was chilly and drizzly, but delightful anyway! And it makes my upcoming shower all the more enjoyable....
Now, I'm catching up with the newspaper (leads, ya know) while my son plays ESPN 2K5 in the background. Life is good. A couple of more phone calls and a few letters to write, while doing laundry...very nice indeed.

Gas for the Car

No, this isn't a commentary about the high price of gasoline...tho it could be! :)
I think I missed my calling in life as a nutritionist. Between my kids and a certain friend, it seems like I'm always preaching the merits of good nutrition. Why do people complain of migraines....but it never occurs to them that it could maybe, possibly, be because they don't eat anything all day and never even drink water at all? They are starving themselves and living in a constant state of dehydration...so of course your body is going to be doing some weird things. And then there are the ones who say they have no energy, but they continue to eat only bagels and bread and cereal for every meal...but no protein, no veggies or fruit. It makes me crazy! Your car needs gas, not water...and your body needs the proper fuel to work properly, too! If people would just eat the proper foods every day, I think a large number of human ailments would disappear! (And by the way, alcohol does NOT count as your daily water intake!!)
Okay, I'm off my soapbox now...and back to my Oreos.

Mentoring

I volunteered to mentor a 13-year old girl from church. She's a great kid, really, especially considering all she's been thru in her short life; currently being raised by her grandmother. My dilemma of the day is this; what do I do with her? We meet weekly and have done the fast food dinners, the errands, etc. but I'm running out of weeknight ideas. I'd love to just have her hang out at my house, and teach her how to cook a few more meals for her family (she does all the cooking....at age 13! imagine!)...but I don't think it would be comfortable for her to be in my home at this point; it is just way, way different than the home life she's accustomed to. I don't want her to feel that "different" from me. So, I'm still trying to come up with 1 1/2 hour weeknight activities...any suggestions?

What is it about Mondays?

This afternoo, both boys are crabby, husband is crabby, and thus, I'm crabby. All can best be traced to one or more of the following a)weather; will this winter EVER end?! b)pms and c)bill paying (or not paying). Looks like another delightful evening at home...eeek

Homework for Moms?!

Why is it that teachers assign things that the kids can't possibly accomplish without parents intervening? K3 had to prepare a speech (again) as part of a biography project...but the kicker is, when he presents the speech, he has to dress as that person. His first speech, earlier this year, was Samuel Adams, now it was Somebodyorother Beauchamp, the co-inventor of the electric guitar from 1931. So, once again, Mom was doing costuming....this time, a fabulous black Talbot's blazer, size 4, from Goodwill.....$7.99!!! WooHoo! But what do the kids do whose families CAN'T afford going out and putting these costumes together? What are teachers thinking?
p.s. speaking of costuming...the hot dog costume is finally complete...pics to come! "Ain't Nothing But a Hot Dog" by Elvis will definitely get a laugh...

Hollywood is in LA LA land

I'm working here with Kirstie Alley in the background, babbling about her cocaine habit and her fatness....why do we care about this? Why can't she get off her duff like the rest of us and head to the Y or go for a walk, or else admit that she's 54 years old (geez, I hope I look half that good at 54!) and, well, that's just life. I don't want to hear about her Scientology and I don't want to hear her whine any more! Her reality just isn't the norm, in my opinion. MY reality is, I'm working here, trying to find some new clients, and taking a break to work on sewing a hot dog costume for a youth group show! My reality is, the mailman just delivered a registered letter about how much money we owe someone. My reality is, there is a stack of laundry and muddy paw prints on my wooden floors. My reality is, I have cellulite and am developing pooches on the sides of my jaw and I haven't lost the baby weight from my 11-year old! So, sorry, Kirstie, I have no time for your whining today.

Just a Day...

Middle of the week. No holiday, no birthday, no great weather...just a week.
Ran 4 miles in 18 degree chills this morning, showered while husband took K2 to school, got call that K2 forgot something for school, so had to rush K3 and me through morning routine to dash to K2's school to make the delivery. Aha! That gave me the opportunity to also register K2 for summer school while I was there! Score 1 Super Mom point! Then, off to K3's school to drop him off. Score 2 Super Mom points 'cause K3 loves to not have to take the bus! Now, off to work, where I was still early enough to beat everyone else in...BUT that means I have to turn off the burglar alarm; what's that code number again?? Score 3 Super Mom points for remembering my boss's fraternity initiation number! hee hee.
Now, to work, to work. Remember the song from Mary Poppins that the pigeon lady sang? "Who Will Buy?"

Ode to the Girl Scouts

Oh the cute little Scouts
Who call me so sweetly
And sell me those cookies
that fatten me discretely.

How I love the thin mints
and the samoas, I do
But now I've discovered
the double chocolate ones too!

Double chocolate for breakfast
dipped in milk, oh yumm
and for lunch and for dinner
It all shows in my "bumm"!

So darned be those Girl Scouts
who made me so fat
But I love those cookies
and that is that.

Topic of the Day...House Cleaning

Housecleaning is not really house CLEANING, of course. Its house STRAIGHTENING. My house is usually pretty clean; I mop, I vacuum, I scrub toilets (something my husband has not done one single time in 22 years of marriage), and all the other etc. But STRAIGHTENING? That's something that I expect my kids and spousal unit to also participate in. Put away your clothes, don't leave your snack items laying around (or the dog will eat the wrapper and the cat will knock over the half-full glass), if you borrow something, put it back when you're finished, put your own stuff away when you're done with it. It really seems so cut-and-dried...seems so obvious, so easy, so, well, automatic. At least thats the way I was raised. You know, the old thing about you open it, you close it; you finish it, you replace it; you move it, you move it back; you dirty it, you clean it. Why is that so hard for other people to follow through on? Why, oh why is my house so full of piles of crapola???? Why are my kids and husband so blind to the mess??!!! Why does it make me so psycho?! Is it really asking so much to expect this out of my housemates? Don't you think they'd also appreciate living in a nice house that's also clean and tidy? My house is brand new and gorgeous and I can barely enjoy it...the piles have crept in over the past 6 months already. Old mail, school papers, the remains of various projects, random socks, stuff that was cleaned from one place and landed in another, etc. etc. Help me!

Soggy Monday

Well, a little soggy; not like LA or anything, tho, where they've already had a year's worth of rain, in just 2 months! eeek.
So, we are about 27 days into the "40 Days of Purpose" by Rick Warner; our small group, that is. We're really into the pondering "Why am I here" stage. Missions; what am I supposed to be doing here? I guess I've always thought that I was put here to raise some really wonderful, independent kids who will become good, contributing citizens to society. (Well, that was after I realized that I was not going to be the next Mike Douglas or Jane Pauley.) So far, so good. We even got good news about K2 (kid #2) (see "who's that man in my refridgerator?") this weekend. We signed him up for a couple of golf lessons prior to h.s. try-outs and the golf pro told us that if he kept it up, we'd be able to retire in about 9 years! Wow. A real Tiger Woods? Of course, the pro could've been just trying to seal his own fortune for the next 9 years, too....lesson after lesson after lesson....hee hee.
Anyway, back to the "why am I here"...its far easier to eliminate all the reasons I'm NOT here...like, I'm NOT going to be rich anytime soon, or invent something that saves society, or achieve world peace. But, why AM I here? Who knows? Rick Warner's book suggests that you just be vigilant to where God points you, and not be so worried about doing everything perfectly; just being there and doing what you already do is sometimes exactly the right thing. Other times, its overcoming your fear and "going for it"...because you know you "should", whether it means saving someone from a burning car or attending your child's Parent's Day...you'll never know ahead of time the impact you can have, I guess; its only hind-sight that gives you that knowledge.

P.S. Happy Birthday to Me.

In California terms..."I play thirties to mid-forties". Chronological age doesn't matter, baby...its all in how old you LOOK. (I prefer to think its all in how old you FEEL and ACT).

The Red-Eye

Just took the red-eye back from L.A. and it is a strange experience. The whole plane was dark inside and pretty much everybody was sleeping, necks oddly bent. No beverage cart service, no nothing for 4 hours! Now, I'm working, but its only a matter of time before it catches up with me...
Spent a long weekend with my 2 sisters and Mom; we've never done this "girls weekend" before and it was really nice. We ate (a lot!)...Thai food, kettle corn, Ben & Jerry's, Italian, CPK, homemade waffles with strawberries...oh, just try and add up all those calories! But we had a nice time, too, just hanging with each other and shopping, etc. And watched my sister as Lady Macbeth...very odd watching your own sister, onstage in a silk nightie, kissing and being mauled by a guy, all the while sitting next to your mom. Wow. I think I may have somehow been permanently damaged by all that. My other sister just took it all in...
Oh, and by the way...what a great movie is "Million Dollar Baby". I think I'm in love with Clint Eastwood...no, not that kind of love, dork, but he's just so cool in this movie (actually, so is Hillary Duff and Morgan Freeman) and he even wrote the music for it. (no, I didn't get paid for this endorsment...but I'd accept payment hahaha).
Other lingering impressions....real estate is just ridiculous out there! My little ranch-with finished basement would be a couple of million $$$, golf course view included. Geesh! How can that many people have that much money to afford all that??

100 things

So, lots of other people have this posted on their sites as a little button on the navigational bar...but since I haven't yet figured all that out...I'll just do it this way!

100 things

1. I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago
2. I walked 1 mile to school and back every day…really!
3. I’m the 3^rd of 4 children
4. I love colors; pink, purple, green
5. When I wear the obligatory black, I always have a colored shirt, etc. with it
6. I look terrible in black and white
7. I am very pale
8. I rarely tan; I freckle and as I’ve aged, those are more age spots and blotches!
9. I have been a model for over 18 years
10. My “type” is “Midwest Mom” “Lady next door” and “business woman”
11. I look very friendly and trustworthy and I’ve made money off that!
12. My biggest pet peeve is people who are very self-centered and don’t pay attention to people around them
13. Like, if I’m trying to merge, why won’t you let me?
14. I believe that learning marching in gym class in 3^rd –5^th grade made me a better merger! All drivers should take marching classes.
15. I carry all my weight in my thighs and butt; my sister who looks most like me carries hers in her torso; how can our body types be so different?
16. I have 3 wonderful, smart children
17. We are raising them to be independent, responsible, caring adults
18. One of my kids is most like me academically, one is most like me personality-wise.
19. the 3^rd wrote all his own rules! And, because he’s 3^rd, I guess we let him
20. I wish I were 20 pounds lighter; oh geez, that’s what I used to weigh, pre-#3.
21. my hubby and I have been married 22 years
22. we met working together at WIFE radio
23. his parents have been married for 55 years.
24. my parents were married for 50 years until Dad died.
25. we have a long way to go!
26. his parents have friends who’ve been married 70 years!
27. we have a long way to go!
28. I run ever other day with my running group
29. one of my dogs also runs with us.
30. we have a fireman, a realtor, a couple teachers, a Marine, and a coach in our group…and me…and the dog.
31. it keeps me sane and within the height/weight chart
32. I like to be very organized; everything in its place
33. you can drive me insane….really!…by moving stuff
34. my kids take my scissors and tape all the time
35. it makes me insane.
36. they’re darlings
37. I love animals of all kinds
38. we have 2 dogs and 2 cats; my mom is allergic, so I had a pet-deprived childhood
39. don’t get me started talking about pets and other animals; I can talk your ear off!
40. I know about almost every dog breed and watch Animal Planet all the time
41. I also watch HGTV and TLC and love home decorating shows
42. we built a home in 2004 and moved in July
43. it was the 3^rd home we’ve built
44. I love home decorating
45. I love our new home; it’s a ranch with a finished basement.
46. in my free time I make jewelry
47. I wish I could sell more, but mostly give great gifts
48. when I need some piece to go with an outfit, I just make it.
49. I sell a bracelet that benefits ALS/Lou Gerig’s disease research (www.cureals.org)
50. I try to drink 2 bottles of water a day
51. I also take lots of vitamins
52. my “real age” is way younger that my biological age (www.realage.com)
53. After college I stayed in Indiana
54. That’s where I met my hubby and we’re still here
55. my Chicago family thinks I live in a tiny town; everything outside of Chicago is a tiny town, they think
56. the other reason I run is to be able to eat candy and cookies
57. I love dark chocolate and cookies
58. I’d lose 20 pounds if I gave them up, probably!
59. I have green eyes
60. I get very motion sick; when I was a baby, even. I always have to sit in the front seat and would really prefer to be the driver
61. amusement parks are out of the question; I’m the coat and drink holder
62. I could never be a flight attendant.
63. I’ve thrown up from an elevator ride
64. it was in a potted plant in the lobby of my office
65. no alcohol was involved
66. I am a fanatic about proper spelling and grammar; I think it shows a lack of intelligence to send stuff incorrectly
67. I like to appear intelligent and was #6 in my h.s. graduating class of 600
68. I'm terrible at remembering names, which is awful since I’m in sales
69. I remember other things about people, tho, just not their name
70. I often remember their dog’s name, but not theirs! Eek.
71. I have an unusually strong sense of smell, inherited from my dad
72. Please don’t talk to me if your breath smells; I can’t help but back away
73. I love to bake
74. I also like to cook for company, just not every single night
75. I’m getting better at cooking since working fill-in shifts at Williams Sonoma
76. I also have better stuff, due to the discount!
77. I have great nails and don’t need acrylic ones
78. I’m almost never sick, but when I am, its bad
79. I have Vasovagal syncope and have fainted dozens of times
80. Luckily I always feel it coming
81. It happened on an airplane once; they had to stop the plane mid-taxi and take me back to the gate
82. They carried me off the plane to a waiting ambulance
83. They took me to a hospital where everyone spoke Spanish
84. And yes, I was in the U.S! It was weird.
85. I had the flu; i.v.’s sure take care of that quickly
86. I took tap dancing lessons for at least 8 years
87. Does that help my sales career? I’m still “tap dancing” hee hee
88. My dream is to be rich enough to retire and just volunteer and donate money
89. I don’t see that happening any time soon
90. I have 3 children, and the first just started college
91. we have at least 12 consecutive years of college to fund
92. they’ll all have $tudent loans to repay when they graduate
93. I’m getting close to 100 finally
94. I can’t believe you’ve read all this
95. my best body feature is my eyebrows
96. my worst body feature depends on which day you ask
97. I love seafood; scallops, especially
98. but I’d skip it all and go straight to dessert if I could
99. I love to shop for gifts for people
100. I love to find a really good deal and shop online a lot.

Great morning...

Ready early, because I'd told neighbor girl Hannah she could hang out inside our warm house and watch cartoons instead of standing outside in 8 degree weather waiting for the bus. K3 was ready early, too. So, once Hannah got on her bus, K3 and I were off to Walgreens for some poptarts, then to Ace for some water softener salt(the best place to buy it, 'cause they put it right into your car for you!), then to McD's for some scrambled eggs (okay: I'm TRYING to diet), and still early for school! I feel like I got so much accomplished! Now, I'm T-minus-2 at the ad agency; just 2 more days of employment left here, then on to my new job! Not much to do, either, I might add. That's why I'm writing :)

Butt, I'm cold!

Yeah, I know I misspelled it. Because its my BUTT that's cold! My group ran this morning, as always, and I thought it was 25-30 degrees, but in fact it was 15, with a windchill of ZERO, and now, five hours later, my butt is STILL cold! Remember how your thighs used to feel after sledding all day when you were a kid; numb and then tingly once you came inside? yeah. that. I really need to invest in some Gortex. Those lycra running pants just weren't cutting it. (wow..that's twice this week I've said "lycra")

Who's that man in my kitchen?

He's standing in front of the open refridgerator door again. Long and lean, taller than I am, with hairy legs and a newly strong jaw. Ohmigod its my own child-man! Its so weird having this man in my house! He's not a boy any more; he is way too big for that; practically full-grown- man-sized. Thank goodness he acts like a child and allows me to hug him occasionally, tho :) How amazing.

New Skin!!

Uh. Ahhh (squeaking, stretching lycra sounds).EEEE. There! I've fit into my new skin! Hope you like it; I needed a burst of color injected into my listless self. I wish I could color my winter white skin as easily; my husband thinks I'm the whitest white woman alive; one time when I went to give blood (okay, I know I'm long overdue...they've even quit calling) he said incredulously, "You can do that? You have some?" ha freakin' ha.

Hair day...

If only my hair looked as cute, perky, and stylish as my candy doll! But no, its thick & goofy looking and needs a weed whip to thin it out! Thank goodness today's the day! Oona will work her wonders! But then, my legs don't really look that long and lean, etc. either.....sigh.

This, from a "create your own doll" website...this is fun! It's me! 

The final week...

My final week at the ad agency! Then, its off to my new job. Pray the money holds out until I start earning commissions...
It was still very hard getting out of bed this morning; covers were cozy and warm, it was dark outside, the dog was snuggly, and just when I had finally worked up the motivation to throw my legs over the side of the bed, my 11-year old padded in for snuggles, along with the other dog, who lives a love-starved life just generally. Oh...that meant another 5-10 minutes in bed! And now, hours later, I STILL can't quite get it together and concentrate on the tasks at hand. Winter doldrums...Thanks to my hubby for making coffee, tho, so it was ready to go! Now, if the dogs would just take themselves out to pee in the morning...and late at night, too, for that matter. We so need a fenced-in yard! Not going to happen, tho, due to covenants and $$$$

The Sun!!!

I am so happy to see the sun! I really think I have seasonal depression, or whatever its called. It has been so dark and dank and cold here for so long, I just have had a hard time getting up in the morning and feeling motivated the rest of the day. But today...ITS SUNNY!!!!! Yeah!! Okay, reality check; its 13 degrees, we have 4" of snow on the ground, and we're expecting 2-5" more tonight. But....ITS SUNNY!! And it makes me feel so much better! I also have accepted a really cool new job that I am excited about; if it turns out to be half as good as it seems right now, I'll be doing really well within just a few short months. Nice people, I can work from home, and I'm selling a product that is quality; the company does website development, etc. for pro athetes, broadcast stations, doctors, etc. I am planning on making LOTS of money! woo hoo!! Let me know if you have a lead for me :)

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Okay, I get it; its winter. 6 weeks to go 'til spring even considers arriving, even. But, I'm still remembering running last Thursday morning in 62 degree balmy weather! Now this morning, its -3. Go figure. Welcome to the Midwest, where things can change just that swiftly and just that dramatically. So, we missed our run this morning. I feel like the day after Thanksgiving; stuffed and chubby and no aerobic relief in sight. Just like every other American, I want to lose 10-15 pounds...preferably by mid-February, which is when I go to California for a little birthday weekend with my sisters and mom! But I'll have to be content with a little no-fat light mocha from Starbucks and perhaps a session with Billy Blanks on DVD this afternoon (that's TaeBo, you couch person). Say...didja like my pictures of Charlie? Doesn't he just have that face that only a mother can love?? Next time I'll show you some pics of Fiona, the wonder cat. She's 20+ pounds and has little short legs that hide under her tremendous flubber. We got her to lose a huge 5 pounds shortly after we adopted her, but she eventually gained it back...(sound familiar?)

Look at him fly! No feet touching! With #2Kid 

Look! I figured it out!Body of a greyhound with 2-ft. long legs! Face of an Italian Spinone... 

How do people do it?

How do people write in their blog/journal every single day? I just don't find that kind of time, folks. Even though I'm only working mornings now, I still have full afternoons, with kid-pick-ups and job interviews, and other appointments. So much for catching up and painting and sewing window coverings...I really thought I'd have time for that once the holidays were over! Hah! I'm still trying to just keep my head above water. Now that K1 is back at college, tho, that does tend to quiet things down a bit; not quite as much chaos when you're "down one".
Now, back to work; client called and needs something immediately...go figure. :)

Okay, I goofed up...

...and can't find Sir Charlie's picture...just wait; it'll turn up here, soon! Meanwhile, I keep finding lots of other cool blogs to read...or rather, my hubby keeps sending them to me :) Makes me wonder if ANYONE out there is ever reading my own ramblings?? Hmmm??

Still Crazy....

Okay. I admit it, right here and now. I am crazy about dogs. Well, about all animals, but especially dogs. In fact, I have that big mark on my forehead, I think, that says "sucker" and everyone knows and all dogs can sense it. Wherever I am, dogs come to me and we connect. No! I'm not "The Pet Psychic", but I do have an innate understanding of them, I think. We connect. And, I can't help but be drawn to every dog I see...I drive my family crazy, I know! "Look, a malamute in the car next to us" and "did you see that german shorthaired pointer?!" Eeek. I'm a freak. Its really too bad that I can't turn this love...and this knowledge...of dogs into a well-paying career! (since I am in desperate need of one of those right now). I can identify almost any breed of dog and tell you the characteristics of them, too. Take a look at our newest guy, Charlie, who we adopted a year ago after he'd been found in the middle of a 6-lane highway & spent a week at Animal Control...He's a breed I'll admit I never knew before; a mix of Italian Spinone. Well, he's a very skinny version; perhaps he's really a terrior-greyhound mix. Or an Irish Wolfhound-Westie mix! tee hee.

Happy New Year!

Whew! What a blur of a holiday season! Working odd retail hours, on top of parttime work at an advertising agency...on top of buying, wrapping, cooking, cleaning, etc. etc. and I am just exhausted remembering it all. K3 is back to school today, with K2 going on Wednesday and K1 on Sunday, so things will slowly be heading back to some semblance of normalcy. And...I have a bunch of job interviews this week, so that smells like some good potential to me! (God please grant us a better 2005 than 2004 brought us)

Fleeting highlights of the holiday:
* lacross stick in the Christmas tree
* dog chewed up Grampy's winter jacket
* standing rib roast with Bordelaise sauce...Mmmmmmm!
* 6 degrees and 12" of snow one week; 60 degrees the next
* Hubby now has his master's degree (but I assured him he's not MY master...)
* trip to visit Chicago family was very nice and more awesome food
* Williams-Sonoma has some awesome post-Christmas deals
* first Christmas in our new house was wonderful and our 360degree tree that we picked from a tree farm was gorgeous!
* more food and more food...I'll be "holding up the rear" in my running group tomorrow morning! eeek.
* Very nice gifts for all and some fun gatherings as well
* Of course, vacuum cleaner broke just when I needed to clean up dog hair and pine needles before company arrived...thanks to Nurse Robyn for loaning hers :)

So, there's been no time to write...so sorry. Didja miss me?

3C on Valley Forge Day! 

The Pride of Valley Forge

Well, its Valley Forge day for the 5th grade at Indian Creek Elementary. 3C (3rd child) had to show up appropriately dressed, and with a packed lunch of beef jerkey or some kind of period (i.e. "Non-Lunchable") food. Wow. Another kid project that turns into a Mom project. My creativity was lying dormant, but luckily kicked in at the last minute. Geez, if only I could figure out how to post a picture on my blog, you could see how awesome he looks! All it took was my good black jacket, about 5 bucks worth of remnant fabric, foil to cover the buttons, Addie's borrowed lace blouse, and Dad's hat...he must surely be the coolest kid in the whole school today. I'd love to be a bug on the wall! They'll be outside in the log cabin and drinking mulled cider all morning...and of course his waxed-paper and muslin-wrapped peanuts and dried beef and bagel.

Today is the day

What day? Oh, I don't know. I just thought it sounded, well, so confident...so hopeful...so assured that something good is going to happen! eeek. Waiting, waiting...waiting for that big day when something great happens. Like, a new job. Like, found money. Like, being discovered for the next reality show. Like, having fans follow you around in adoration as if I were Brad Pitt or Oprah or something. But nope. That never happens in my world. Here, I have to look in the mirror and pretend adoration, have to keep making calls, hoping for a job, and have to remember that basically....no one really cares. sad.

Whew

Thanksgiving is over. Now, radio stations have switched to Christmas music 24/7 and I'm not sure I'm quite ready for THAT! But, I survived serving turkey and all to 17 for dinner...including guests from Casablanca, Morocco, and Tokyo, Japan! Isn't that melding of cultures what Thanksgiving was originally about? We had various guests overnight and for meals Friday and Saturday, as well, which was really fun and rejuvinating in a way. Thank goodness for dishwashers. And that the porch was cold enough to operate as a 3rd refridgerator.
Then, working retail all weekend.
Yes, you heard it here first; I'm working retail thru Christmas, since my agency job is just 20 hours per week now. Retail is fun, in a way, but oh-so-humbling, and very exhausting. You are "on" for hours, smiling and chatting with people...and your legs and feet just weren't made for standing that long!
I wonder if The Donald has ever worked retail? I think its good for you; you really see human nature! And I have a feeling I'll see it more and more as we get closer to 12/25!!!

Giving Thanks

I have been obsessively organized this week, cooking and cleaning a little each night (since I work all day), to be ready for the crowd at my house tomorrow and overnight tomorrow night (that means 2 extra meals to prepare). But, I am feeling quite calm and ready for company, which allows me the time to think about actually being thankful... I'm thankful that I'm calm and prepared!
I'm thankful for so many things, small and large: for 3 healthy, happy, smart children who are growing and maturing into pretty responsible little creatures; for a husband who loves me in spite of myself; for our lovely new home and the renters in our old home-that-hasn't-sold-yet; for my new contact lenses that I can actually see out of; for my running friends who give me grief when I sleep in, but don't seem to notice how bad I look at 5:20am; for the fact that, despite having had a rather crippling year financially, we seem to be handling it pretty well and we've realized that money problems are pretty insignificant in the big picture; for an extended family that is fairly functional, rather than "dysfunctional"; for dark chocolate; for L'Oreal hair products that keep me looking younger than my haggard old self should look; for my dogs who adore me; for my cats who are happy that I feed them; for my husband on the days when he's thought to make the coffee already, so its there waiting for me when I pad into the kitchen; and for all the other surprising little miracles that happen not-so-coincidentally.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving in whatever traditional ways your family has created! God Bless you Every One! :)

Companies have gotten too big...

Here's an excerpt from a note I sent, first to Whirlpool Corp, the maker of my Kenmore washer, then to Sears, where they bounced me...and the meaningful(?) personal (?) form letter I got back!


> -----Original Message-----
> From: kmoore
> Sent: Nov 22, 2004 1:30:48 PM CST
> To: custrel@customerservice.sears.com
>
>
> COMMENTS:
> I own a 2-year old Kenmore top-loading washer, which I'm told is made by Whilrpool. I'm sure it was designed by someone who never actually used the equipment or tested it! The on/off-choose-your-cycle button is a push-button system. So, when you do what the directions tell you to do: 1) pull out the button to turn on the water, 2)put the soap in, and then 3) proceed to load the laundry...
> Picture this! The lid is open as you load the clothes.....and EVERY TIME the lid leans against the button and pushes it off! So, I repeatedly have to lower the lid again to turn the water back on (so I can add water to the softener in the center agitator, etc.).
> This just tells me that the product wasn't tested appropriately! It is a very annoying tic in an otherwise good washer!
> Perhaps in the future, the Design Dept. will take into account the actual use of the product...
>
Dear Ms. Moore,

Thank you for contacting Sears.

We are sorry to hear that your washer is not working properly.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide the information you have requested. Our product support team is able to answer questions regarding product features and selection only. Since they are not certified technicians, they do not have the expertise to answer technical repair questions. You may be able to locate the information you are seeking at one of the following websites:

http://www.applianceaid.com

http://www.repairclinic.com

http://www.fixitnow.com

To schedule service, please call 1-800-4-MY-HOME (1-800-469-4663) or click on the following link:

http://www.sears.com/sr/service_order/so_productinfo.jsp?

Chris B.
Sears Customer Care
webcenter@sears.com
1-800-349-4358


WARNING AND DISCLAIMER:

The foregoing information is in response to a general question. The accuracy, completeness and reliability of this response may be affected by previously undisclosed information or unexpected circumstances.

CAUTION: Always unplug the appliance or disconnect the power before attempting any repairs. Always turn off the gas at the source before repairing any gas appliance. Always wear safety glasses when using tools.
Keep loose clothing and hair away from any moving parts. Safety is of major importance when performing any service or repair on any electrical appliance. Sears, Roebuck and Co., or any employee of Sears, assumes no responsibility for your safety. If you feel that your problem is too serious for you to repair yourself, please contact a licensed/certified technician. If you wish, you can call Sears HomeCentral at 1-800-4-MY-HOME
(1-800-469-4663) to make an appointment for a technician to visit. There is a charge for this service.

Our advice given to you is not guaranteed in any way but is intended to be a guide to help you diagnose your problem. We will, however, give the best advice we possibly can, based on our experience. YOU are responsible for the final diagnosis of your appliance. We may suggest parts, but it is up to you to determine if the part is needed before you order the part.
By asking us for advice, you agree not to hold Sears, Roebuck and Co., or any employee of Sears, liable in any way. Any and all advice and/or recommendations provided herein are subject to Sears Terms and Conditions.
Read Sears Safety Notice carefully for general precautions.

Puppy Therapy

When you're having a bad day, there is little better than hanging out with my dogs and cats. They don't care if I'm in a bad mood...they just want to eat and be loved. Last night Charlie, the tall, scragly white mutt who looks, as my friend says, "like a bag of miss-matched parts", was wanting me to play with him. I, however, was quite content sitting at the table reading. He kept coming over and "woof"ing softly to me, then would dash away, trying to get me to follow. He has this language, which runs the full range from outright barking to little muffled woofs to soft whining, and a surprising new language that is just teeth chattering! That one, he pulled on me yesterday morning; looked me in the eye and started loudly chattering his teeth. I was quite taken aback and learned (too late)later that he was desparate to go to the bathroom!! Maybe he really thought he was talking?
I'd love to post his picture, but I have to learn how, first :)

Drive-by parenting

Now that we have a high schooler and a college freshman, we've found our parenting has also moved into a new category that I call "Drive-by Parenting". That is, trying to impart parental wisdom and advise via quick cell phone conversations as Daughter walks back from class, and late afternoon I.M. conversations from my desk to Son's homework session.
No, they never taught this in college either!

God Sent

I believe that we are instruments of God's will. He can't possibly do it all Himself, so uses us in subtle and not-so-subtle ways to "get the job done". I try to be open to what He tells me to do, tho I confess I'm probably usually "Daddy-deaf". But I do know that there is one good thing that I do, besides raising my kids, and I am proud of it, too! :)
A neighbor's wife suddenly and tragically died about 7-8 years ago, leaving behind an 8-or-9 year old daughter and a husband who traveled about 24 days out of the month. In my state of shock and "it could've been me", I fired off a little gift and card to the girl, signing it "Love, Your Secret Angel". Well, one thing led to another, and another, and 8 years later I'm still sending funny and sometimes motivational notes and cards and little gifts. Now they've moved far away (closer to family), making my little game all the more fun, because I have to be sneaky and clever to find out insider's info! She turns 16 on Thursday, so I found a florist close to their home, and pledging them to secrecy, arranged for roses to be sent. I have gotten such a thrill out of this; she has no idea that its ME that has benefitted all these years! I plan to reveal myself on her h.s. graduation. What do you think? And, by the way, Dad is re-marrying in just a month...how great for them both, a complete family once again!
The moral of the story? As my husband would say, "If you think it...Do It!"..and the world will be a better place.

Good family TV programming

Are you as sick as I am of "Fear Factor"-type shows on TV? My sons and I have enjoyed watching "Clubhouse" together on CBS on Tuesday nights...only to have the show cancelled, it appears. No, wait, they moved it to Saturday, last week, and now my marketing newsletter says they're wondering why it didn't pull good ratings? Well, maybe if they'd TOLD someone they'd moved the show, my sons and I would've LOVED to watch the show! How many others are out there, also wishing for some good, wholesome TV to watch with their kids? Please go to www.cbs.com and send a "feedback" email telling them so! Or, call George Schweitzer @ CBS, 212-975-4321 and demand we get our shows back! Only with feedback like this will we get the shows we want; otherwise we'll just get more raw pig intestines and leeches!

The littlest things...

Life really is made up of the little things. You know how just one little thing can turn the course of your day and make you feel better...or worse! My 11-year old took my glasses off the bathroom counter this morning and decided to carefully clean them for me. How thoughtful!
I got an email from a very old friend today and it was great to re-connect! We delivered our first babies together... same doctor, same hospital, same Easter-weekend morning. And now our daughters are 18 and freshmen in college! wow. Very comforting to share problems and triumphs with someone who really...really! understands. (thanks also,busymom! you're helping my midlife crisis, believe it or not!)

Random thoughts on a rainy day

It sucks to be old. Mother-in-law's body is not working, and may never get better; how awful to suddenly lose all your mobility? Therapy not doing much; they say she'll just be this way for the rest of her life. And surrogate mother-in-law is in a similar boat, made worse by the fact that she is widowed and alone, with no computer for easy communication with family and friends! I know I, for one, am on the phone all day at work, and just don't want to talk on the phone any more by the time I get home, so I am always guilty of not calling her...she always sounds so hurt when she says "I haven't talked with you at all this month!" (old people keep track, you know)
What an icky day; 40's and raining! One of those remote-control and jammies kind of days. But, no, I am here at work, and not much to do right now, so I'm making lists...that's dangerous and borderline compulsive! I can put Martha Stewart herself to shame! I already have printed out tiny "custom" placecards for Thanksgiving dinner, made out my holiday meal grocery list, and scheduled out the entire week leading up to the feast, including which dishes to cook and when. Wow. That's sounding a bit over the edge, even to me:) I wish those lesbian, vegan sex-starved weirdos whose blogs I always see would read this one! THIS is more close to NORMAL, friends! hahaha
Here's my normal; sleep with the dogs and my husband, with an 11-year old climbing in at 6am 'cause he's scared of burglers being in the house. Get up and walk one dog, then feed the fish, the cats, and the 2 dogs, and point the 11-year old toward the PopTarts. Throw a $20. at teenaged son just before he slams the front door. Visit with the 8-year old neighbor girl while you wait wiht her, outside in the cold, for her school bus. Take a shower and realize that the coffee in the pot is 2-days old, so bring mug to gas station for a double fill-up on the way to work. Home for a quick 30-minute lunch to throw in a load of laundry and clean the kitchen that never got cleaned from last night. Back to work until 5, when its time to pick up teenager from school (no busses). Dinner? Ohmigosh! I forgot to plan for dinner! Looks like scrambled eggs again... Big plans for the night? Hmmm...probably those jammies and the remote control that I mentioned before :) I've been gone every night this week at meetings & class.
What's exciting in my life? The comfort of normalcy...sleeping in a real cave with my son next weekend...finding a new job/career (hey; I said exciting..not fun!)...settling in and decorating a new house...parenting 3 very different children in 3 different life stages...finding a new organization that I believe in, to volunteer for...Exciting in my life is probably boring in someone else's life, tho.

The Stress is settling in...

For oh, so many reasons, the stress is settling in. Retailers are pushing hard on Christmas merchandise and even ingredients for Christmas cooking are prominently displayed, as if I'm going to worry about buying that stuff now, 6 weeks before the meal! (Okay, I admit I did buy 2 cans of that jellied cranberry sauce, 'cause I always forget to buy it for Thanksgiving dinner.)
And, there's stress from the daughter in college. Apparently her el.ed. math grade is hovering in the "high F" range. WHAT?!?! You can get that grade whether you show up to class or not! And its a basic math class, not some high calculus thing. Her head is just not made for math; why not? It was my best class in high school...why didn't that gene go to her? And, why hasn't she figured out that the reason the university offers free tutoring and a huge "learning center" is so that people just like her can utilize it and not FAIL a class?! Oh, teenagers can be so frustrating; they act mature and responsible one moment and then the next so dumb.
Overall the rest of the stress stems from the potential for unemployment. I was hired on a contract basis, and the contract is up at the end of this month. They love me, they want me to stay, but alas, economics don't allow it at this time...but that could change at any moment, with the closing of a new account. So, I wait.
I look for other jobs, but at this time of year, there aren't many out there that I qualify for. But wait...there is huge opportunity at the governor's office! It just so happens that I helped on his (winning)campaign, placing media throughout the state for the past 6 months. So, I would be highly considered for any government jobs, of which there will be many, but probably not open until mid-January, after the inauguration. Sounds really promising, until I realize that 700 also-qualified people submitted their resumes, and that was just on the day after the election. Wow. Hundreds each day since. Wow. And just how much do government jobs pay, anyway? Its gonna be a long winter, potentially without a paycheck. (gulp)

God won!

Remember, I said before "It's in God's hands". The country is so divided, with millions of Bush-haters, just voting for anything but him. And the Christian-right, voting... believing in...Bush to finish what we've started. Sure, Osama endorsed Kerry in his last-minute video-tape-bomb launch...he knows how little Kerry could affect, internationally. He is probably afraid of Bush's resolve, Bush's promise to keep moving forward, however offensively, until peace is established.
But, in the end, apparently the best answer, agreed upon by a majority of the record-breaking voting public, is to keep George W. in office. This means, to me, that the people who are closest to this whole international debacle will be able to continue their jobs, moving forward, rather than having to train a whole new group of neophytes. I've always wondered what sense it makes to train a bunch of new people in the middle of a war? They don't have the history of being in on all those meetings, privy to all that information for all these years...
Anyway, its a good day. The agency where I work had all its candidates WIN; Attorney General, Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Congressman. We planned media campaigns and placed the commercials for every one of those candidates and emerged victorious! We did something right! (and Right-wing-tee hee)
We can breathe a heavy sigh of relief and rest happy today, and look ahead to new directions.

Voting...

....is pretty distasteful to me, really. I hate standing in lines. I hate incompetence. And, I hate inefficiency. All of those are very present, especially in this year of high voter turnout. At my new polling place (we moved this summer), there were 2 precincts present. One, had absolutely no line. You walk in, you vote, you leave and you've done your civic duty.
Of course, my precinct was NOT that way, tho we were at the same location. My husband and I arrived at 6:20am...very close to opening, right? We waited in line for 1 hour and 20 minutes! That's nearly 1 minute per person...I was voter # 117. What possibly took so long? It was the fact that there was only one book to sign in. You'd think that since they KNOW what precincts have large numbers of people and a history of voter turnout, that they could use, say THREE books; one for names A-G, H-N, and O-Z or something. Is that so difficult to figure out? Why are things run so inefficiently? Am I the only logical person on the face of this earth? It seems that way sometimes!
Actually, no, the McDonald's people have gotten it down to a science, getting people served, in and out, in a quick and efficient manner (usually). Maybe THEY should be in charge of polling places!

I want to be 11 again!

Fall Break. I don't ever remember having a Fall Break from school; Thursday and Friday off, for a total of "4 stay-home days", as my son would say. As I sit here at my desk, spending tens of thousands of media dollars on various tv and radio stations across the country, my son has gotten to do the following: (and this is just TODAY!)
1. Had a friend spend the night; they played Madden's Football on X-Box and tee-hee'ed their way thru various joke websites (www.eyetricks.com and www.addictinggames.com), then had waffles for breakfast, which they shared with the dog.
2. Went with Dad to a car dealership, where he got to get a ride in a cool yellow Mustang convertible.
3. Came to Mom's office, where he was treated to candy and lunch out.
4. Played football in the street with 9 other boys.
5. Went to another friend's house, where they played more football with different guys, and basketball....etc. ad exhaustion. And its not even 6pm yet! What a life to lead! Wouldn't it be nice to be back there?

Unemployment looming

It scares me to death. Unemployment has to be one of the worst things to a healthy American. I have a great job, but am merely a contracted employee, with my project just about complete. That probably means I'm out of a job in just a couple of short weeks. There is the possibility that I could stay, but we haven't confirmed that yet; its a big "maybe" and try as I might, I can't push the envelope any further. That means just one thing; I am searching for a new job....one of the most undesirable things for me. See, I am of the age and of the salary level, that you can't just find something easily. I'm also of the age that I'm getting pretty picky. And that makes me feel guilty. My family depends on my (substantial) income, and the jobs I could get in sales, etc. that would continue to provide that (substantial) income are not jobs that I want anymore. I no longer want to push every month to attain that elusive goal. It takes so much of the pleasure out of meeting and working with people, and I hate having someone over my shoulder, criticizing my every move. But, the jobs that I've found that don't have that goal aspect...well, they just don't pay as much! So, I'd be happier, but poorer. What an unfair decision to have to make. Why can't I just get paid...well...for doing the things that I truly enjoy; making a house a home, raising my kids and pets, relating with people.

A Marketer's Nightmare

Madison Avenue read this.....Here I am. Your worst nightmare. Catch me if you can. Easy to categorize one day, hard to reach the next. Oh yes, I'm that suburban homeowner and mother to 3 pre-teen and teen-aged children, so you can be sure I am doing my best to bolster the American economy. But I think I often mystify even the most savvy marketer.
Consider this: I did buy the apples and caramel dip that Wal-Mart so cleverly displayed at the checkout counter. Okay. Chalk me up for about $5.00 on that impulse. But sorry, folks, I'm not buying that new Coke pack of 15 cans, on the end-aisle display for the same price that I used to be able to buy a whole 24-can case! $3.99 for 15 cans is no longer a bargain, friends. That's because they have me too well trained to wait for the $4.99 24-pack sale that's sure to come, if I'm just patient.
And what about clothing? I'm a professional working woman, dual-income family, with plenty of department store charge cards and my own American Express. I should be out trolling the mall about every weekend, shouldn't I? I need to stay current in fashion, and I can pretty well afford it. But no. Its not true. Last thing I bought was an impulse item, purchased in a hurry on my way to a lunch appointment, because I had an extra 15 minutes to kill. Okay, it was a pair of pants that I needed at that moment, since I'd spilled something on the ones I was wearing. And yes, last week I did purchase a couple of things at a local department store's sale. Not much return on investment on me, tho; everything was marked down and down again, as they cleared it away for the next season.
My marketing magazines tell me I'm just about the perfect demo, as a female 25-54, for just about any purchasing. And Lord knows I do buy a lot of stuff, in a lot of different categories. But, I don't think I'm too loyal to brands (except Tide, which my mom always used...and if All is much cheaper when I'm out, then I'm no longer loyal to Tide)...I don't even buy the same toothpaste every time! And I shop many, many different stores for the "stuff" I need; pretty much on a whim, or where I am at the time.
Advertising? Here's the deal. I work in a part of the advertising industry; formerly sales, and now media placement. So, I'm everywhere. I read it all, see it all. Newspapers? Well, sometimes, but not consistently. TV? Well, a couple of shows per week that I watch with my sons....certainly not the ones that are supposed leaders in my demo! Billboards? Well, only the good, creative ones. Magazines? Yes, lots of magazines, but a very diverse collection, ranging from Dog Owner to decorating to Reader's Digest to Sports Illustrated for Kids. Radio? I get bored with a station pretty quickly, so switch on a weekly basis.
See? I told you I'm a marketer's worst nightmare! :)

Be true to yourself...

Don't you hate cold, dark, rainy Monday's? Its hard enough to get motivated to head to work on a Monday, but when its a day tailor-made for remote-controls and sweatshirt material...well, I have a hard time being excited about anything.

My thought for today: Be true to yourself. Others will disappoint you occasionally, so you have to remember to be good to your own self, as you can only really count on your own self. (Well, I can count on my God, too, but that's another blog-day.) Birthdays, for example. When you're little, mom makes a big deal out of it, inviting all the relatives to partake in yummy cakes with candles and loads of cool birthday toys and new clothes. But as you age, you slowly realize that you just don't get those same birthdays any more. So, you start buying yourself a birthday present, just so you KNOW you're getting what you really want. Once in awhile you get a great surprise from a loving spouse or eager child, but there might be the disappointing vacuum-cleaner presents, too, so recognize the "be true to yourself" thing and move on! And know that the things you're interested in, and the things that are important to you (the things that you really have feelings about)just don't always register with your friends and family. They mean well, I'm sure...but fall short of our great expectations. They disappoint without even meaning to, because they just don't realize the depth of feeling you have for the things you do. You want them to be excited or at least support you in the things you do....but it just doesn't happen like we imagine. They aren't gonna be there with signs and banners, Mom...not like you are with your own kids. You'll be disappointed if you think they will be. Does this sound so philosophical that you're not even following me one bit? If you get it, please write me back and let me know!

Today I am...

....tired of political stuff! Wow! I work in it, too. I'm placing advertising across the state for a gubernatorial candidate and the race is really neck-and-neck. There's been some mud slung, and lots of money thrown around, and (whew!) its amazing. Adults act exactly the same in the real world as they did when they were about 7, on the kickball field. "He said that" and "he did that to me" and "well, I'm gonna..." Isn't it amazing?! Also amazing that, once again, our presidential election is also neck-and-neck. The country, once again, divided. Even my family is divided! How can my sister, who was born from the same 2 parents and raised in the same loving, middle-class Midwestern home...have grown up to have such differing views from my parents, my 2 other siblings, and myself? I just like to sit back and shake my head and ponder how interesting it all is. Sure, I have my opinions on who should win and why, but more than that is the fascination I have in just watching people go at it! Its funny to me, because people always develop their opinions with, really, very little factual information. Opinions are developed from the ads they see...hey, folks! I WORK in marketing, and I can assure you that ANY facts and figures can be massaged to sound any way you want them to.
(sigh) Its all rather exhausting. I put the country in God's hands and hope that in His own wisdom, it will all turn out okay in the end. What song said "We're only in this world for a short time"?
Anyway, I urge you, as a voting American, to do your own "fact search" and quit relying on the media to supply you with enough information to make your decisions. Go to www.factcheck.org, for example, or find other OBJECTIVE sources of information so you can be really informed...its your country and its important!!

Today

Today I am...

....a mom. The mom of a college kid, to be exact. Well, I have a school-ager and a high schooler, too, but today I'm thinking about the freshman in college. Interesting how we go through various phases in parenting (and all with no training, I might add). Right now, my husband and I have rather swiftly moved into the "parenting by i.m." phase. Instant messaging, for those who are still a bit behind. My parenting has gotten down to 4-minute cell phone conversations and 2-minute back-and-forths on i.m. I try so hard to inject little bits of wisdom into my ever-so-short conversations; things like "sometimes the people you think are your real friends, don't turn out to be the best of friends after all...remember how Andria turned out to be such a great friend on moving day...who would've guessed!" and "I know you're not eating properly...are you at least taking your vitamin every day?". Our daughter is just loving being "on her own" and away from rules and boundaries...but her dad and I are not necessarily loving feeling so "out of control" and yes, even cast aside. Oh yes, she called when she needed her prescription refilled, and when she needed a ride home for Fall Break...but its not quite the same as being there every day for the mundane things.

Today I am...

...a runner. I don't feel much like one, but I guess I qualify since only about less than 10% of the population probably runs on a regular basis, like I do. I do run 3 times a week, 52 weeks a year, with a good, diverse group of people. We have a fire chief, an elementary teacher, a realtor, a high school teacher, a h.s. football coach, a business owner, me, in advertising, and my dog. Makes for some interesting 5:30am conversation sometimes! Right now we're training for next weekend's mini-marathon. I do one twice a year, as a carrot to keep myself out there. And believe me, I need that carrot when its pitch dark outside and 15 degrees or so in the middle of winter and my bed is so cozy and warm! I also need to know that all those people are waiting for me (well, they don't usually wait...I sometimes have to sprint to catch up :) )
No, I don't particularly enjoy running; I always feel like I'm the slowest one in the group, stumbling to keep up, with various injuries (right now nursing a very sore achilles tendon). But I keep out there, week after week. Why? (good question !) 2 reasons.
1. Because its good for me. I have a terrible metabolism, so it keeps everything moving (!) and also I know the regular exercise is good for everything else about my health, especially as I'm getting older (mid-40's). I'm holding colon cancer, obesity, heart problems, etc. all at bay!
2. I know its such a good example for my children. I am proud for them to see me up and out a couple of very early mornings a week, before work, getting in some good, regular exercise. We don't talk about it as such, but its one of those subtle parenting things....lead by example! Just the discipline of it is good for them to see, I think.
Oh and 3.) its really good for my dog, too, who tends to be hyperactive when he's not gotten some good exercise.

Musings of a suburban woman

Today I'm a teacher. I guess its part of my personality, at least that's what online personality tests have told me: "counselor"...
I gave a midterm in my college class last night...the kids hated me, I fear, as they always do after the first test. See, I'm the friendly adjunct; very casual class with lots of interaction and guest speakers. I warn them again and again that they need to keep very good notes, 'cause any of that info could show up on the test...but then they're always surprised and upset when it DOES show up and they don't get a good grade 'cause, well, THEY'RE CLUELESS! They think they can sit and be entertained in class, but not soak anything in, I guess. And I'm only testing on the really main points, mind you...Maybe it's generational? They're so used to sitting in place and being entertained?
I'm a teacher at home, too. Trying to teach a scruffy stray that we've adopted to "come". Trying to teach our other dog to not be "mommy deaf" and do as I say. Trying to teach my 11-year old to do his homework independently, rather than require constant supervision. Teaching my high schooler how to be creative. Teaching my college daughter how to manage money and how to choose the right friends....and how to remain safe, healthy, and sober at school! Heck, I'm even still trying to train my husband of 22 years! (Okay, he's given up on me; I'm untrainable). So, today, I'm a teacher.

Typical suburban mom

I am a fairly typical suburban working mom. Have been fairly happily married for 22 years, go to church regularly, volunteer in school whenever I can, attend my kids’ games, feed the fish, the dogs, and cats on a regular basis, etc. So typical, in fact, that I’ve been able to bring in some valuable extra dollars on the side over the years, playing, well, a suburban mom in various commercials and advertising materials. Cool huh? An extremely boring life to some, I’m sure. But I’ve decided to hop on the blog-wagon anyway, for a couple of reasons.

First, I believe that journaling is a good release; gets things out and keeps them from festering inside, blowing themselves quickly out of proportion.

Secondly, I think it’s a good way for my kids, especially, to share what is important to Mom, and for Mom to communicate with the outside world what I think is important: Family. God. Civility. No, not just civility, but downright Nurturing of our fellow man. We are here for such a short time, we need to care for each other, to prepare for eternity. We are here, I believe, to prepare ourselves for that Eternity; to pick up the skills and outlook that will serve us when we are called up to serve our Lord in Eternity. Meantime, we need to remem ber that we are here for a reason, too. Many of us never figure out what that reason is; some find it very clearly. Me? I guess I’m here to raise up some wonderful kids into adults that are valuable in their communities.

That said, it seems so odd for me to be writing it. I’ve never been one to evangelize my Christianity. Yes, I am a big believer in Him with a capitol H. But, I am never one to expound upon it to people. It is simpler than that to me. I do what I do, hope to be a good example to people around me, and that’s that. You are free to believe what you want to believe and I’ll never criticize you, tho I might ask you about it with a great curiosity. Some of my best friends are Jewish, Catholic, and my own mother and siblings never talk about God or Heaven . In fact, I can’t even be sure that my own father went to Heaven when he passed away just 2 years ago. Now that’s an odd feeling, to be sure.

I’m in a faith-based place right now, because I actually attended a church-woman retreat this weekend., for the first time. Stayed in a hotel with over 100 women from my church, with a wonderful guest speaker and lots of play time. It was very good for me. Filled me up, so to speak. Gave me a chance to talk with other women who are “in the same place as me”. Really re-generated myself in a much-needed way. And reminded me that we’re NOT on this earth alone. Nor should we be consumed by elections, trash pickup problems, rent checks, and other minutia of day-to-day living. Everyone has a purpose, however insignificant we often feel. You will never see the “big picture”, but each and every one of us is an important puzzle piece.

So that’s where I am today. My oldest, a new college freshman, just i.m’ed me in a depressed state about her lack of money. Ouch. Her own fault, for spending all her savings this summer, rather than saving it, which is what WE THOUGHT she was doing. Its hard being strict. Wouldn’t I love to send her the money (which really we don’t have, either, but that’s a story for another day)…but that isn’t teaching her anything. She needs to feel a little bit of pain, to grow out of her spoiled world. She’s been very used to having just about everything she ever desired; < /SPAN>nice clothes, nice car to drive, nice house to bring friends to, etc. etc.