Bullet Sunday #3

• BIRTHDAY PARTY. Today we celebrated my son's 2nd birthday. He actually turned two a few months ago but with school and then illnesses and everything else that has piled up on us we have not had a party for him. We rented the pool and invited some friends. Not everyone we invited was able to make it but we had a small group of good friends stop in and we had a good day. I don't think Max knew that the day was all about him, but I think he had a good time as well. He makes me laugh because I know he is not genetically "our's" but he has spent all of his life with us and he approaches the world in ways he has seen us do. Getting into the hot tub today was like watching a mirror of my spousal unit. He is not a dare devil at ALL - in spite of me trying to model that for him!

• COMPARISON PARENTING. I don't know if it is because of the holidays or what it is but I am feeling nostalgic and missing my mom. It's hard for me now that I am a mother because I find myself more and more comparing everything I do to my own mom. I seem to fall short over and over when I hold myself to the standard she set. Today we had a good time. I managed to plan far enough ahead to get food, table cloths, drinks, bowls, plates, etc... I even managed to get them to follow a theme. Still I think if my mom had been here it would have been 10 times better and seemed 10 times easier. I wish she was here to share in the lives of her grandchildren. I think about her in everything I do. Max and I were in the walk on water ball and I thought " If my mom was here she would do this". Then I was swinging on the rope swing and I thought " If my mom was here she would do this". I'm glad we did those things so Max will carry the memories of us doing them with him, but I have a lot of improving to do if I am to be in any way the kind of mother to him that my mom was to me.

Friday Fill In

1. My stomach is too big.
2.Candy Suckers is what I ate the most of on Thursday.
3. The yard is under a layer of snow.
4. In bed is where I'd rather be at any given time.
5. The smell of smoke reminds me of something burning.
6. For all my homework to be done is what I need right now!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to festival of the trees, tomorrow my plans include going to the dump and Sunday, I want to enjoy the party for my boy!

Martha Stewart I am not

We have been blessed this week to have our niece come and stay with us to help us out with two little ones since my Spousal Unit has been so sick.
She is a great sport for leaving home right before her birthday and American Thanksgiving - time off school for her - to stay with us and help out. My SU is already feeling better.

Yesterday was her birthday and I decided I would make her a cake. I couldn't do it the easy way and go the grocery store to get a mix. Oh no, I had to be domestic about it.

Before I tell you the sad sad tale of my experience, I need to say that my mother, aunts and grandmother have all been professional cake decorators. When we still lived at home, my mom each week would go downtown and take cake orders from people in businesses and then make HUNDREDS of cakes for delivery on Friday. She also did wedding cakes and birthday cakes and even when we moved to Canada she supplemented our family income by working for bakeries making and decorating cakes. So... you would think I had inherited some of her skill. Not so.

I have a recipe I love , which I need to say I HAVE made before - so I wasn't going into this COMPLETELY blind.

After work I went home and after supper, laundry, dishes, putting kids to bed and getting all the ingredients out, I realized our mixer died a tragic death at the hands of my two year old a month or so ago and has not been replaced. At any other time this would have been a sign to me to STOP, I mean - drive into town and get a cake at the store, but I was bound and determined to make something for my niece so I called a neighbor and arranged to go and pick up a mixer.

Half an hour later the mixer was procured I started on the cake. I have a recipe book of all my mom's recipes which she wrote by hand. Somehow the book got in some water on the counter and the recipe on the back of the page I was using got wet and all the ink ran.

This should have been my second hint to stop. I apparently don't take hints well.

So I start. Sugar, Marg and Egg yolks blended. Getting the egg yolks into the bowl I threw away the whites. Apparently I didn't read LINE ONE of the recipe which says "beat egg whites".
When I got to the part that said "BLEND IN EGG WHITES", I thought, Oh crap, I need three more eggs.

I get three more eggs and put the whites right into the mix. This does not look right so I read the recipe again. Oh. BEAT EGG WHITES. LINE ONE. Yeah, I can read. This now feels like mistake number 25 and into the garbage goes the flopped and I start over. Only this time I think we have no flour. SU insists we have flour, all I have to do is find it. Finding anything in our kitchen is no easy task, but 25 minutes later I surface with flour.

I actually got it right the this time (and nine eggs later) and the cake (in my opinion) turned out very well and we even ate it before the day rolled over and it was no longer her birthday. OK, it was ALMOST not her birthday anymore by the time it got out of the oven, but we scraped it by in the nick of time.

I am under no illusion that this was by far not the birthday she had hoped and dreamed for it to be - at home, with friends and immediate family around, but I hope she knows we care enough to bake the very best! While I am not disappointed I am nothing like Martha Stewart, I wish I were more like my mom who could have whipped that cake out without even looking at the recipe and certainly it would have tasted better.

Meme

I took this from here.

This is a list of 100 things to check off if you have completed. The one's I have done are in bold and italics. Let's see how it goes...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity. ( we give to charity but I try not to give more than I can afford to ANYTHING - let's not start a conversation here about my mortgage and car payment...)
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (I taught myself to cross stitch which I think is an art)
15. Adopted a child (we are in the process of this so do I get 1/2 a point?)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (I saw the mona lisa but it was in washington Dc and it was smaller in life than I thought - and darker, so I am giving myself another 1/2 point)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked (and I even picked up a hitchhiker last week!)
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon . I can GUARANTEE I will never run a marathon. Wouldn't be prudent.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run. Since I don't play ball and I never will I am going to assume this means "hit a home run" sexually. Which YES, I have done.
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (some of them, not all of them)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted. (I don't know about my portrait - but I have had my caricature done!)
48. Gone deep sea fishing. Not guna do this either. (I DO know how to spell "gonna" - thanks!)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre
55. Been in a movie (I have been in a movie theater!)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (I've bought them. Never was a girl scout though)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma. ( I am counting this one because I TRIED to give blood. Just cause I about passed out and had to get them to take the needle out.... it's the thought that counts right?)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar. (I will never eat caviar. I have eaten snail though. Can't say that's on my list to do again soon.)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (quit a few)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (and someone else's.)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. (I killed a pig and got it ready for eating, but I don't think I ate any - I would have had the opportunity presented itself.)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club (I have read some of Oprah's book club books, does that count?)
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby. (I will never do this because I am a lesbo. I would have if I could have, and I will adopt, so HA!)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake. (I have visited the GSL many times, more than I can count. Not only did I not swim in it. I will NEVER swim in it and I don't recommend anyone else does either. Have fun walking through those brine flies!)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Looks Like I have completed 50 of them - and there are 5 that I will never do - so 55 out of a hundred isn't bad!

ten on tuesday: ten things I want for Christmas

I did this last night and then my computer had a "fatal error" and it didn't post, so I am trying again today.

This week the topic for ten on tuesday is "Ten things I want for Christmas".

To be honest, this year I have not even compiled a list. I know that's crazy, because I LOVE Christmas, I LOVE lists, and I LOVE presents! So now I am going to have to go on a search to check out what's out there for presents.

1. EXTREME BOP IT.

We used to have one of these and we LOVED it. We gave it away - I don't regret the decision to give it away, I just would like to have another one for us! Of course now you can't find them anywhere in stores. Why do they make great toys almost impossible to find?

2. PESSIMIST MUG from Despair.com

Last year I recieved a calendar from despair.com and I love it. I don't really need another mug. Heaven knows I hate washing mugs, but I love this.

3. I would love to buy my spouse an SLR camera. She takes great pictures. If she had a better camera ...WATCH OUT!

4. LIVERPOOL BALL CAP.

I'm a little short on ball caps. One can never have too much Liverpool gear.

5. JAMES CHRISTENSEN PRINT.

My Spouse and I came across a magnificent original work by James Christensen one year when we were shopping in Salt Lake. We have never seen a copy of this work, but we fell in love with the art of James Christensen that day and it would be awesome to hang one of his works of art in our home.

6. CROSS STITCH.

I don't think I need more, but I sure love it. Ohhhh. THREAD!

7. PRUNING SHEARS.

What would ANY gift exchange be without pruning equipment?

8. FISHER PRICE CAMERA
My son copies everything we do and he has recently become fascinated with cameras. REAL ones of course. We have an old broken on he found and yesterday he was walking around pointing and shooting. It's important for us to SMILE. I would love to give him a camera and record his view of the world.

9. SNOWSHOES.

We have been saying for years that we would love snowshoes. I know for certain that my spousal unit WOULD use them. Me on the other hand. Well. I HAVE spent more time outside this year in general, so who knows?!

10. GREAT DANE.

We need another pet like I need a hole in the head. Then again, an additional hole in my head right now may make it easier for me to breathe right now. Who can resist a great dane puppy?

Stealing from "My 2 cents"

I am stealing from here. I am a fan of his site. A silent, lurking, copying type fan.

1. Do you like blue cheese salad dressing?
Yes I most certainly do.
2. Favorite late night snack?
Salty snacks. Figure it out.
3. Do you own a gun?
I have two guns. My left arm and my right.
4. What’s your favorite drink at Starbucks or other specialty coffee shop?
Anything creamy, even though I don't think I have ever been to Starbucks in my life.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
I only get nervous in stirrups - right when he says "This will be a little cold".
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
I love them, especially cooked on a stick over a fire.
7. Favorite Christmas song?
I would have to say.... I like a LOT of Christmas music, so . . . . Little Drummer Boy.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
I prefer orange juice in the morning, if I drink anything.
9. Can you do push-ups?
I can do push up bras, but I prefer them on others.
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?
It was my wedding ring until I lost it.
11. Favorite hobby?
Watching tv or reading other peoples blogs.
12. Do you have A.D.D.?
No, I lost it.
13. What’s one trait that you hate about yourself?
Nothing I would share here.
14. The last disease you contracted?
A computer virus.
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment.
I would so shimmy with any of the 3 women who just danced on DWTS. I need to do the dishes. I have to go to bed.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?
Dr. Pepper. Coke. Iced Tea
17. Current worry right now?
Are the cops looking for the hitchhiker I picked up Friday?
18. Current hate right now?
Not being able to sleep though the night.
19. Favorite place to be?
Asleep and dreaming.
20. How did you ring in the New Year?
At home. Not In the cold, not in a crowd. Just how I like it.
21. Like to travel?
I like to travel and then come home.
23. Do you own slippers?
WTF happened to #22? (that's a direct quote from My 2 cents and worth repeating). I used to own slippers and my cats dragged them around until they were no longer fit for human use.
24. What color shirt are you wearing?
Skin tone. LOL. Actually it is blue with baby puke on the shoulder.
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
I like to sleep PERIOD. Have we not determined this already?
26. Can you whistle?
Nope.
27. Favorite singer/band?
I like LOTS of singers and bands. Recently I like thriving Ivory, but I ALWAYS like P!NK.
28. Could you ever make it 39 days on the show Survivor?
I could. And I would like to go on a survivor diet. it is a better option than a meth diet - which I have also considered.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower?
Whatever I am thinking of when I wake up.
30. Favorite girl’s names? Mine
31. Favorite boy’s name? Simon
32. What’s in your pocket right now?
I emptied my pockets to wash my pants tonight.
33. Last thing that made you laugh?
Watching the gay boys on DWTS.
34. Like your job?
Mostly.
36. Do you love where you live?
WTF happened to #35? (again - a direct quote) I will love it more when we have fixed it up. But I am happy it is warm and only slightly drafty.
37. How many TVs do you have in your house?
Three, but only two plugged in.
38. Who is your loudest friend?
I think I am the loudest among my friends. Sometimes I hear my voice echo. For real. And it has scared me.
39. Do you drive the speed limit or speed?
I drive the speed limit because my vehicle wont go faster than that.
40. Does someone have a crush on you?
I would love it if Cally had a crush on me. Or p!nk.
41. What is your favorite book?
Right now my favorite book is the story of Edgar Sawtelle because it is the one I am reading.
42. What is your favorite candy?
Peanut M and M's, or black licorice.
43. Favorite Sports Team?
LIVERPOOL!
44. What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Sleeping more deeply than I have slept in months.

Bullet Sunday 2

This is my second installment of Bullet Sunday. I took the idea from Dave.

• POLITICS. For the most part I don;t think people change much in their political beliefs once they reach adulthood. I have had conversations and debates and even arguments about politics with people whom I respect but whom have absolutely nothing in common with me politically. I think when I am through with these conversations, that it is very unlikely that they will say anything to sway my opinion and so I have little hope that I will sway theirs. Having said that, my own opinion on the death penalty has changed almost 180 degrees since meeting my spouse 12 years ago. My spouse and I have had some pretty heated debates about the death penalty. I was a firm supporter of it and she is not. While I still believe in it - and I still believe some people just should be put to death rather than spend my tax dollars supporting them for the rest of their lives, I think there are WAYYYYYYYYYY too many people on death row who should not be. While I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, here is some info on someone (Damien Echols) who I think should NOT be on death row. Link here.
• TEETH. Let us not underestimate the value of good teeth. I do not have them. I inherited bad teeth from a long line of people with bad teeth. While I am proud of my heritage, I would trade my teeth in half an instant. As much as I hate my teeth, I hate dentists more. My dentist in particular is very good at what he does, but when you are captive in the chair you are subjected to preaching hour - or more if you have crappy teeth and get stuck in the chair longer. I tend to make dentist appointments and then cancel them with regularity. I usually follow this pattern until I am caught in a situation like the one I find myself in today. The tooth I went to (and got a root canal on) has now disintegrated around the temporary filling that was put in. I was supposed to go back and get the temporary filling replaced. They said it wouldn't last long. It has lasted longer that the piece of crap tooth that had fallen apart around it and is now cutting into my gums and lip. Damn teeth. Damn dentist.
• P!NK. She is DAMN fine. Heaven only knows I am not the person one would go to for advice on clothing choice, unless you wanted to know what t-shirt slogan I liked the best. Sometimes I even manage to get a shirt and socks the same color (if they are both white). But really. P!NK in all her hotness was in sad sad shape tonight. The dress and the hair? What in lands name was that about? She's so hot I will forgive her. Queen Latifah on the other hand, I do not forgive. Not hot enough to excuse that horrible outfit.

November 19th

Today was one of those days that looks like it will just be another one to blend into the daily drag, but it turned out to be a great one!

I should have taken a hint this morning when I headed out early to work and the sun was just coming up and the sky was beautiful. I came back inside to tell SU to look at it, but I didn't think it was the mark of a great day since the only reason i saw it was because I was going to work early!

Then, I came home from work early because my spousal unit is STILL sick after almost two weeks of being quite ill. She was puking again today and she has no voice at all. She called to ask me to come home and I could barely decipher what she was saying. Having no voice seems to be more of a detriment to parenting than puking because without a voice we have a two year old who thinks he rules the world and a four month old who cries every time the spousal unit squeaks at him!

I came home from work and the baby was sleeping. This gave me some excellent playing time with Maximus. He was having a decent day and we laughed and played and giggled until it was time for me to take the baby to the doc for a follow up visit. I took the baby into town and Max went down for a nap. At one point he was sitting on me and squishing my head. I said "Bud, You are squishing my head and my nose". My SU said " Maxie, you need to get off mom's head and nose. She needs them for work." For some reason it struck my funny bone and I couldn't stop laughing. I need them for work! Of course when we laugh, Max laughs right along.

The baby slept all the way into town and all the way home...not at ALL like another little boy I know.

When I got home, Max was waking up from his nap. I went to pick him up and I could tell he hadn't slept long enough and was too grumpy. We came downstairs and I climbed into bed with him next to me and turned on " In The Night Garden". It is the only show that he is remotely interested in and sometimes stays still for. he lay next to me, snuggled into me, playing with my fingers and we watched the whole show together. That's 30 minutes. 30 minutes is the longest he has EVER laid still next to me, in fact we have never once done this before because he is always moving around so much. Earlier this afternoon I was discussing with a friend how he and the baby are SO different because he has never "chilled" one moment in his whole life, and the baby is just mellow and happy. Then, only a few hours later, the dude is laying with me, snuggling. It was a wonderful moment. Sometimes his gentle nature just comes shining through.

When the SU got back from running the dogs, she made dinner with Max in the kitchen while I held the baby. I fed him a bottle and he fell asleep on my chest. I sat in the chair, just holding him while he slept and it was fantastic.

This day seemed to be so "ordinary", in fact, parts of it were less than thrilling, but then all these little things happened along the way to make it one of the best days I have had in ages.

Max and I ate supper together, we bathed and got Max to bed, then I came and turned on the computer so I could check facebook and blog real fast. When the computer came on there was a reminder that today is our wedding anniversary. I asked my SU if she knew what day it was and she hadn't remembered either - which was totally funny. Then once we knew it was the DAY of our marriage it took another fifteen minute conversation to figure out how many years ago we were married! ( It is five) It's a pretty decent story, which I will blog about tomorrow, but I thought how crazy that I would have such a good day and it turn out to be my wedding anniversary.

Now I have blogged, Some stuff is worked out for work tomorrow, A visit we didn't want to happen has been cancelled and WE didn't do it!, I have taken the dogs out, It is my night to sleep and I hung out with the baby and laughed with him. I am going to bed FAST while this day is still so good.

you should study

Your Learning Style: Innovative and Independent

You are determined and driven. Confident in your abilities, no field is too difficult for you. You Should Study: Astronomy Biology Chemistry Design Engineering Philosophy Physics Political Science

What Should You Study?

Ten on Tuesday: ten things I am thankful for

You can link to see more participants here:


1. I am thankful for my family, my spouse and my two boys.
2. I am thankful for a warm house, especially now that the snow is flying.
3. I am thankful that my mom and my sister got to visit us at our house this year.
4. I am thankful we have a reliable vehicle so we will make it through the winter without major vehicle repairs.
5. I am thankful for a job in this time of economic unrest.
6. I am thankful for our PVR.
7. I am thankful for msn messenger which keeps me in close contact with my parents who live on another continent.
8. I am thankful that the MD will remove snow from our driveway so we am not homebound trying to dig ourselves out of our mile long driveway in the woods from now until April when the snow melts.
9. I am grateful we live in a country where we can be legally married.
10. I am grateful for laughter.

stealing from my 2 cents

Some people steal memes from random blogs, or if someone tags them. I steal memes also, but I seem to steal them all from the same place. So I am starting a new category... "stealing from my 2 cents". You can link to him here. It's worth it.

Sometimes I just need: to sleep all night through, then sleep all day, then sleep some more. Sometimes I want: food that cannot be purchased in my town.
Sometimes I like to: swear LOTS, because I can.
Sometimes all it takes: is more money.
Sometimes I picture: my home renovations complete.
Sometimes I wish: my homework was already done.
Sometimes I find: change in my pockets and it makes me happy
Sometimes I take: a powder for my head.
Sometimes I look: in the mirror and wonder who the hell is looking back at me.
Sometimes I hate: that every time we eat we have to wash dishes.
Sometimes it’s nice: to go on a vacation.
Sometimes it hurts: to stub my toe that sticks out like it is not attached to my body.
Sometimes it makes me happy: to see my son smile.
Sometimes it’s sad: when favorite television shows end and never return.
Sometimes I listen: to music while I drive.
Sometimes I sleep: but not very often lately.
Sometimes I like to watch: people.
Sometimes I feel: like I don't want period cramps EVER again.
Sometimes I rant: very loudly and then when my voice echoes it scares me.
Sometimes I never: want to work another day in my life.
Sometimes I really: wish.

What Goddess are you?

If you are interested in finding out what Goddess YOU are. Check it out here.

YOU ARE ATHENA

Animal: Owl
Color: Blue

Athena is one of the most powerful goddesses in Greek mythology. She was born from the head of Zeus. Zeus - father of all gods, and Metis - the titan of wisdom, had conceived a child. Zeus was worried about this child becoming more powerful than he was. He had the pregnant Metis turned into a fly and ate her. However, he later developed an incredibly powerful headache. He asked another god to bash him in the head to cure it, and out popped Athena, fully armored.
Athena is one of the most courageous of the Greek Goddesses. The city of Athens was named after her - a place of civilization, beauty, strength. Athena was the protectoress of the weak, the patron of warriors, the one who looked after women and children. She always liked to reason her way through an argument, but if she had to defend herself with weapons, she was extremely skilled. She was both independent and nurturing.
Athena is very good at crafts, and is most fond of pottery, spinning and weaving. She is the goddess of wisdom, and is usually represented by the wise owl.

Bullet Sunday 1

I am not a great web surfer, although I do spend a considerable amount of time doing it I tend to go to the same sites over and over and over again and I rarely see anything new or exciting.

Yesterday (while I was in class no less) I was surfing the we while participating in/listening to a conversation on white power and multiculturalism and I came across Dave at blogography.com. (If you are interested you can link to him here)

Because I was so very interested and engaged in the conversation in class, I read back over a lot of his posts and thoroughly enjoyed his writing.

In the highest form of flattery, I am going to copy his idea of Bullet Sunday. Here is my first installment.

• FOOD ALLERGIES. Right now everyone (but me) in the house is pretty sick, and I am just in denial about my illness. Usually when someone in the house gets sick we go through the regime of soup, ginger ale, crackers, etc. which carries us through to better days. Now we had to go and have a son with extreme allergies. Wheat allergy - translates to no crackers and no noodles in chicken noodle soup. Milk Allergy - no crackers, no noodles, then add no cream soups. And the list goes on. This kid is hard enough to feed on a "normal day". Sick days are straight from where Satan dwells.
• PARENTING ADVICE. In the waiting room, of the hospital on Friday I was looking at a parenting magazine. In completely unscientific reporting style I cannot recall the name of the mag, but there was a subtitle on the cover about sleep deprivation which caught my eye so I picked it up to see if they had any nifty suggestions I hadn't thought of yet. One of the suggestions in the article was to walk up and down the stairs with the baby in the middle of the night because the motion might settle the baby. While I will be the first to admit I am NOT an expert on babies OR on sleep deprivation, I have experienced both and I do NOT recommend walking up and down stairs in the middle of the night carrying baby. DON'T DO IT. I think someone who made the suggestion was deprived of something more than sleep.
• ROOIBOS TEA. When I was growing up and living in Zimbabwe, my grandmother at tea time would make me rooibos tea and toast with vegemite or marmite. I grew up loving both and they are a comfort to me when I am ill. Living in Canada and the USA I would have to rely on visitors from Africa to bring Rooibos tea when they came. Visits were not frequent and I often ran out of tea before I could get more. In college I found an online import store where I could order Rooibos and I was over the moon. If anyone has been watching television lately, Rooibos tea is all of a sudden the BEST thing since sliced bread. Apparently it has all kinds of antioxidants and other things people find desirable in tea. Now you can find the stuff EVERYWHERE. It was even one of Oprah's favorite things in an edition of her monthly magazine. While I am very glad I can walk into any store and find some. I feel in a way as though something special has been robbed from me.

Thursday Thirteen: things I never expected in my life

Here are 13 things I didn't expect from my life:

#1. I never expected I would be the jungle gym and car track and general playtoy for a 2 year old.
#2. I never expected to live in a small town.
#3. I never expected to be working on a Masters degree in Education.
#4. I never expected to live so far away from my parents.
#5. I never expected to have a 30 year mortgage. (LOL)
#6. I never expected to live to my 30's.
#7. I never expected to own a minivan and like it!
#8. I never expected that I would be living as a married lesbian woman with children.
#9. I never expected the USA to have a black president, but I am grateful it happened in my lifetime.
#10. I never expected that I would not have returned to Africa.
#11. I never expected that I would have been able to love so many children who are not my own.
#12. I never expected to know so much about babies with drug addictions.
#13. I never expected anyone would use the word "calm" to describe me.

mornings

I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. My mother is very good at early mornings, actually I think probably everyone in the world is better at them than I am.
My mom can get more things done before I am even awake than I can dream of, and I can sleep through it all.
I don't like to get up. I don't like to eat breakfast. I don't like to go to bed early.
I have had - for the most part- a lifetime of jobs that do not require me to work in the morning. The ONE thing I like about coming to work early is leaving work early so I can go home and have an afternoon nap!
Last night I had to work and when I got home from work my whole entire family was sick. This time around I will NOT get ill, that is my mantra. I had to come to work today for a few hours to get some things done before I could go home and care for my family with a clear conscience. When my opening staff called last night to say she was not able to come in I thought it was perfect for me to be in at 6:30 am, get my stuff done and get out of here early.
Remind me never to do that again.
Did I mention I HATE mornings? It will take me a while to recover from the 5:30 am awake-up.
The time is almost 7:30 and I have a "behind the eye" headache already started. These bad boys bust into migraines if I am not careful. I know I won't be going home and crawling into bed because the whole damn family is sick. Last night my spousal unit was puking. My boy can hardly breathe around his soother. I'm going home to look after sickies. I hope they all want to sleep for a LONG time.

unconscious mutterings

Coverage :: insurance

Cynical :: me
Gust :: of wind
Improvised :: presentation
V :: victorious
Guests :: extended stay
Brutal :: slaying
Grant :: McEwan
Pull :: apart cheese
Streaming :: video

Friday Fill In

1. My blueprint for success includes taking chances.

2. Black licorice was the last candy I ate.

3. The best facial moisturizer I've ever used is um..water? I don't use facial moisturizer.

4. Cross stitch can be good therapy.

5. I'd like to tell you about my family.

6. My sense of humor is my strongest characteristic.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to bed early, tomorrow my plans include playing with the boys and Sunday, I want to nap, but I have to do homework and work!

Reasons why I am angry

There was a post on a GLBT website entitled "Today is the day but I am angry instead". (If you want to read it you can check it out here.) Certainly the writer is entitled to their opinion, but I disagree on one of the things that has been getting a lot of press.
Rosie O'Donnell and her spouse did not put any money towards fighting propositions in the elections that were anti-gay.
First of all, I don't know if anyone can definitively say that they DIDN'T put money to the causes, because they may have done without broadcasting it. However, even if they didn't put any money towards them I disagree that they should be lambasted for their decision.
As I see it, propositions that are anti-gay first of all are heavily supported and funded by religious organizations (like the Mormon church) and these organizations pour MILLIONS upon millions of dollars into getting these propositions passed. A monetary donation by a famous lesbian could not even come close to competing with the amount of money spent by religious organizations.
Rosie O'Donnell is a lightening rod. The people who love her, love her and the people who hate her, hate her. By putting money towards an ad she is really preaching to a choir who already know what tune she sings. I doubt she could garner support from anyone who is undecided.
I think that focusing on her and how she spends her money takes the focus AWAY from what I consider to be a more important issue and that is how a tax-exempt church is permitted to put money into political campaigns.
Churches are tax exempt because they are viewed as providing a benefit to society which the government is unable or unwilling to provide. However, there has been some incidences in the past which illustrate that the government has an opinion on what tax exempt religious organizations can spend money on.
The website http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/court/bobj_v_us.html gives some additional insight into a case in 1970 where a tax exempt school used money to promote discrimination.
Bob Jones University was a Christian university that believed interracial dating and marriage was contrary to the its faith. In 1970, the Internal Revenue Service prohibited granting tax-exempt status to private schools that practiced racial discrimination. The school school sued when the IRS revoked their tax-exempt status. The supreme court upheld the IRS decision in an 8-1 vote saying that the government has an "overriding, fundamental interest in eradicating discrimination". This case clearly demonstrated that the government's interests can outweigh individual religious beliefs. Religious belief can not be used as an excuse for engaging in behavior that violates socially important beliefs.
Let's stop excoriating people in the gay community and put the focus on religious organizations who use tax free money to buy political decisions.

"HI"

My boy has two words. One of them is "HI". He usually greets the pets with more enthusiasm than he greets humans. Today he came into the kitchen with me and got down on his hands and knees and spoke to what appeared to me to be the bottom of the dishwasher. "Hi!" he said with all the enthusiasm he could muster. I glanced down and didn't see anything and thought to myself the kid was going bonkers. A few minutes later I was back in the kitchen, this time alone, and who should come out to visit me from under the counter but a little mouse!
My boy may not be able to speak, but he's no dummy.

Thursday thirteen: numbers

Here is my contribution to Thursday Thirteen this week. I know I haven't been doing many TT posts lately, but I hope to be back on track now.

#1. One is the number I would like to see my team (Liverpool FC) finish in this season!

#2. Two is the number of dogs I have currently - Zuva and Tora (you can kinda see them in this picture).

#3. Three is the number of staff I have working at pub night tonight, though "working" doesn't really define what they are doing.

#4. Four is the number of kids we had at the house today under the age of 2. What a crazy day for me and a crazier one for my spouse after I left for work.

#5. Five is the number of assignments I have to complete for my current class. Five is the number of assignments I haven't started yet, but when I do I will "SLAVE" over them!

#6. Six is the number of keys I have on my residence keychain. I actually have three different keychains so if I happen to lose one of them I won't lose the keys to my entire life - just 1/3 of it!

#7. Seven is the number of months remaining until I work for another college and go through yet ANOTHER transition.

#8. Eight is the number of items on my list of things to do that I completed yesterday at work.

#9. Nine is the number of letters in my middle name.

#10. Ten is the number of songs I added to my blog tonight.

#11. Eleven is the number of anniversaries my spouse and I have celebrated together.

#12. Twelve is the number of plants I have in my office - actually I currently have 10, because K-Lo is babysitting two of them in her office where they have access to a window. They were suffering light deprivation. I think we are going to have to do a plant rotation. I don't think K-Lo is too thrilled.

#13. Thirteen is the number of things waiting in my email "to follow up on" folder.

Election results

Last night my spouse and I watched the results come in from the US election and shared a moment with the world of history in the making.
We are thrilled Obama won and can't wait to see what the next years will bring.
If you are interested check out this website on how the world would have voted.
Unfortunately, we think that Proposition 8 passed, I guess you can't win them all. A few steps forward and a giant step back.

what my spouse thinks I like to talk about

Yesterday for ten on tuesday the topic was "ten things I like to talk about."
When I got home from posting I was talking to my spousal unit about it and asked her to guess what I wrote. This is the list my spouse gave me of things she thinks I like to talk about:

1. sex
2. poop
3. angelina jolie
4. The idiots I work with (lollapalooza, voldemort, psycho, vomit ....)
5. What I would do if I won the lottery
6. Lazy people in my cohort
7. books I want to read/have read
8. family gossip
9. the boys
10. the pets.

I actually don't think I like to talk about poop - well, maybe I do cause it makes me laugh.

ten on tuesday: ten things I like to talk about

This week's topic on ten on tuesday is "ten things I like to talk about"
Here are my ten in no particular order....

1. I like to talk about P!nk, and Angelina, and Neve, and ... well o.k Hot Women,

2. I like to talk about Premier League, specifically Liverpool.

3. I like to talk about my boys.

4. I like to talk about Grey's Anatomy. How did that picture of Callie get on here?

5. I like to talk about my pets, especially my beloved Mukiwa.

6. I like to talk about my friends. My friends are funny.

7. I like to talk about music. Hey! It's Rob Thomas!
8. I like to talk about lesbian and gay issues.
9. I like to talk about David Beck.... I mean, I like to talk about Tattoos.
10. I like to talk about the stupid grades my professors give me after I SLAVE over assignments.

Election day

I don't think I have ever been this excited for an election in my lifetime.
We are on the verge of seeing the first African American voted into office in the USA and I can't be more thrilled. (I am almost as excited to vote for a new major in my town - LOL).
Today is my in-laws anniversary. They are dyed in the wool republicans through and through and they will vote that way until they can't vote anymore - which will be when they are dead. I wouldn't put it past my MIL to come back and haunt someone after she has passed just to get them to vote republican in her memory. I can see haunted polling booths in the future where all the votes for democrats in the computers get "miraculously" erased.
Since it is her anniversary AND voting day, I had to call her this morning to wish her a happy day on the morn of historic events in her countries history. I am sure she was thrilled to hear from me. She is a great sport and had a good laugh, even though I am certain she is sick to her stomach at the thought of a democrat in office.
I am counting the minutes to the closing of the polls and I can guarantee that we will be tuned to CNN and Fox news tonight.
(My MIL calls CNN the "communist news network" and ONLY watches Fox news. My spouse watches Fox news to see how they "spin" things, but then she also listened to Dr. Laura....)
This is exciting.
(after I wrote that this is exciting I remember thinking in days of yore that only OLD people got excited about elections. I know I am old now because my spouse pointed out to me last night I was getting not a grey hair, but a grey STREAK. AI AI AI !)

It's FATE

Angelina's daughter and my son had the SAME halloween costume. It's true. It was meant to be. Me and Angie, we are one in thought. I knew it all along.
Now if she'd just come over to chat about it.

nablopomo

Well today is the first day of national blog posting month. I love blogging and hopefully with the help of my spouse I will be able to come up with enough to say to write every day this month.
Right now I am sitting in my office at work (because my home computer doesn't work). My son and I came in to pay some bills and get some groceries he is "talking" on the phone while I am working on the computer.
Last night we went trick or treating and dressed both our boys up. We only went to five houses (only four of them were occupied) but Max had a blast. You wouldn't be able to tell if you had been IN one of the houses we visited, because he clung to his mothers legs like his life depended on it. Then all day today he pointed at his pumpkin candy holder and said "fun...fun". He wanted to go out on the porch with his bucket and knock, then have me open the door and give him treats. Not a bad game - for him!
OK. So a boring post for day one, but I made it!
Post again tomorrow.