Catching Up

Paul and Angel relaxing while Abbie and I decorate the tree. Paul helped too. He likes decorating for Christmas.

Abbie loves to decorate! Long after Paul and I quit, she keeps going.

Abbie had a tea party and cookie swap and invited her friends from her class.

Enjoying their tea and cookies.

Look how small Abbie is compared to her classmates.

Baby, Little Man, and Angel. It's all love and snuggles here.

My niece, Shanna, and our new batch of foster kittens.

The Weekend

To answer my one and only blog reader's questions: yes, I touched the fish- but they were SUPER slippery so I didn't touch them too much. Paul put his foot on them to hold them down while he got the hook out then we used the net to get the fish in the bucket. The trout farm will clean the fish for you - and they pack them on ice for you too -- all included in the price. You pay per pound, and you can't throw any fish back. You have to keep all you catch. This animal lover [me] didn't particularly care for how they cleaned the fish. The guy sliced them and gutted them before cutting off their head. I thought that was uncalled for - heartless!

How many cats I feed - 3 strays (that I know of - I have a sneaky feeling that something else is eating from my cat feeder (racoon/opposum?). I feed my 4 indoor cats plus 1 outdoor cat. And I feed 1 foster mother cat (not feeding her babies yet). That's 9 cats I think. When the babies start eating solid food, the number will be 15. Fostering cats isn't cheap - I spend a lot on food and litter, but it's very rewarding. Leslie, you all should come over and see the kittens. There eyes are open, and they are much more alert now. But still tiny and wobbly.

This weekend, we didn't do much as usual. We're sort of recluses in some ways. As much as I don't want Abbie to be bored or lonely, I much prefer to have just the 3 of us in the house. I think it's mostly b/c that is what I'm used to. If we lived in a neighborhood crawling with kids, I'm sure I'd be used to have lots of kids around. Abbie had a friend sleep over this weekend, and it was like Christmas for her. I think her friend got up at 5 am though. So I had to get up too. And when you have company, you have to serve meals on time, and you have to constantly make sure they're having fun and ask if they want anything to drink or eat or do something else. Maybe I just put too much pressure on myself, but it stresses me a little. I need to learn to get used to it though. I'm sure Abbie is entering the phase of wanting to have more sleepovers.

I am currently wearing my new scarf from Target. It is soft and purple and white. It does not go with my outfit today, but it's soft, and I'm wearing it.

[Before I tell you this next story, I thought I'd point out that I change socks and undergarments and clothes everyday - the only thing I tend to wear more than once is jeans. Please bury me in my Lucky jeans. I lurve them! And my new socks that I'm about to tell you about.] I bought some new wool socks. They are awesome!! I've worn one pair for 3 days. Why? Because they are soft and warm. Is that too much information? When I told Paul this little tidbit, he was totally grossed out. I told him my feet didn't stink, and it was no big deal. He continued to make a big deal out of it. So I told him I'd bet him $5 that my socks didn't have the least odor. He wasn't going to take the bet, but I MADE him and told him that all 3 of us would smell them and Abbie could be the tie breaker if necessary. Abbie went and got the socks. They were sniffed by all. The skeptic lost, and I won the bet! I washed those socks today. I am currently wearing my favorite brown pair of socks that are not wool, and my toes are cold. Don't bury me in the brown socks.

I *think* we've made a house decision. Not necessarily which one we will buy, but we've rethought our goals - which have been ALL OVER the place (the goals and the houses). I think we're going to buy a house in town/city limits - our orginal goal. And we're going to buy property in the county and start building after Abbie starts high school. That is our tentative plan. Tentative being the key word.

In OTHER Cat News

In an unscientific way, I have determined that I emit a cat pheromone. I'm attracted to cats, and they seem to be attracted to me.
Every time I turn around, I discover a new stray cat coming to my house for a meal.
This summer, I noticed 2 kittens were coming here to eat. I tried to catch them, but they were too wild.
The kittens are still coming here, and I HAVE to catch them. I can't leave them here when I move. Who will feed them?
I told Paul that I need a live trap so I can catch them, try to tame them, and then take them to the shelter. I can't possibly keep them. But taming them would give them a better chance to get adopted.
Paul said he had a better idea for catching them. He tied a string to the door knob of the door to the porch. He brought the string in the window that looks out over the porch. We put food in the sunroom and left the door open. We watch at the window...when the kitten comes in, we pull the string which makes the door shut and then we have the kitten trapped in the house.
It worked! We did that today!
The kitten we caught today is a female gray tabby - we've named her February. She freaked out a little. She likes all my cats, and they like her, but she is still very scared of me. We're going to take it slow. I plan to let her outside tonight and then let her in again tomorrow. Only problem is that she is curled up in a chair in the sunroom - the door is standing wide open - but she seems to have no plans to go back outside.
Her partner is a solid black pretty kitten. The black kitten is twice as scared of people as she is so this kitten will be more tricky to catch.

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Nov 2 - we picked up our second batch of foster kittens. There are 6 kittens this time. You can follow their story here.

Abbie had a short Fall Break at school so we went to Blowing Rock, NC. We've never been there. It is less than 2 hours away - up in the mountains - a really beautiful area. We went fishing - something she really wanted to do.

You have to hold you mouth just right to catch a fish! Truthfully, when you go to a trout farm, there is no real skill involved. You put the nightcrawler on the hook (yes, I bait my own hook), cast the line, reel the line in slowly, and you'll catch a fish. They were big ole trout too! We caught 4 and ate some for dinner tonight.

Some of my best advice is this: Some things are worth turning around for. We drove past an inn and I caught a glimpse of some bunnies and insisted that Paul turn around and go back. #1 - the inn was beautiful, and I intend to go back and stay. #2 - they have numerous bunnies to enjoy. The caretaker gave us some carrots to feed them. Despite the ongoing rain, we took our time and enjoyed the experience.

We stayed at the Chetola Resort. There is a lake (large pond?) out front, and there were several swans. This one followed us as we walked around the lake/pond.

A section of Chetola Resort is a Bob Timberlake Lodge. And there is a restaurant. The fog lasted until about 3:00, dissipated for about an hour and then came back in full force.

Even with all the fog, I thought the whole area was very scenic.

We had hoped to enjoy some more fall foliage. But with the fog, that wasn't really possible. But I loved all the fog! I did wear a hat the whole trip b/c my hair and fog are not friends.

This male spent a lot of time grooming his feathers. We stole one - super soft (we stole a feather, not the swan)!

At an inn near downtown Blowing Rock. All in all, we had a good time.

And the Pendulum Swings

Our house has sold, and we have 8 months until we HAVE to move. We could move sooner if we want, but we have to find a house first.
We started out with certain goals in what we wanted in a new house. Months later, our goals have changed a bit.
Today, we drove around for about 2.5 to 3 hours just looking at different areas in the county. We're considering not moving into the city limits. Maybe we'd like a house in the country, maybe a mini farm, not in a neighborhood, maybe we should build???? Who knows! We find areas we like, but what we like isn't for sale. Or the house/land is too expensive. Or the house is too old, and we wouldn't want to do all the renovations needed. Or it is too far from town.
Abbie hates the whole process. She just wants to pick up our house and move it somewhere. Or build the exact house somewhere else.

While driving around today, Abbie saw a "neighborhood watch" sign and wanted to know what that meant. Paul and I explained it to her. She got very excited and said, "I'd like to spy on our neighbors and see what they are doing." I don't think she really meant that she wanted to watch the neighbors, but I think she meant she wanted to watch the neighbors' houses for suspicious activity. She does have her own set of binoculars so we'll see if she tries them out...

And in other news, tonight I watched a marathon of "Say Yes to the Dress." I never watch this show. I just turned it on to have something in the background. Eventually Paul said, "You know, I really liked your wedding dress. Every time I see a picture of you in that dress, I get butterflies." Awwww, how sweet! That was the perfect thing to say!

Cussing and Smiling

*Warning - there is NO cussing in this post.*

I am NOT a morning person. Not, not, not!!!

A perfect day for me is to sleep until I wake up (usually 9 - 9:30 am) assuming I go to bed at 11 pm or midnight. I like to wake up on my own - no alarm clock, no one telling me they are hungry, no phone ringing, etc. Even though that doesn't happen a lot, that is my preference, and I don't care who knows it.

The early morning drive to school is not my favorite duty. Many mornings, when the alarm goes off, I think mean thoughts (cuss words or just a general pissed off feeling). Lately, though, I have tried to break myself of the cussing (even if it's quietly in my head), but I still think "that can't be the alarm" every time the alarm goes off.

Some mornings, I'm on the road - about 7 minutes away from the school, and I suddenly realize that I am 1) awake, 2) in the car, driving, and 3) in disbelief that I am awake, out of bed, and in the car driving. Think about that for a minute.

Last week, as we pulled out of the driveway, I remarked "pink sky in morning." And Abbie finished the phrase with "sailors warning." That made me smile. I told her how my dad always recited that phrase to me every time he saw a pink sky.

My dad was my school driver, and he and I had a good time together. Everytime there was fog, he would say, "It's froggy. Someone must have let a frog out." He taught me several little catchy phrases. I continue the tradition with Abbie.

Even though I hate being out of bed so early on school mornings, I enjoy the scenery and conversations with Abbie. I smile when I think of my early school mornings with my dad.

In the Swing of Things

Trying to get back into the swing of blogging. Here is a snapshot of our life right now:

• Abbie is having a great year in 4th grade; better than last year; we like her teacher; she is having math tutoring twice a week and that is working out very well for the both of us
• Abbie is reading the Warriors series (she really loves these books). I recently bought some picture books, and Paul wondered why I would buy books meant for much younger kids. 1) I miss picture books, 2) I liked the art work on them, and 3) I miss getting to read out loud to him and Abbie. So they had to let me read both books to them.
• The 3 of us are proud new bike owners. But there is a complication.
• Paul hurt his back (doctors just think it is a muscle), and that has put a damper on our biking ambitions. Even though his back has gotten much better, he is still having to ice it every day. Sometimes, prolonged activity (such as driving or spending 2 hours in the corn maze), makes his back act up again.
• We saw Zombieland and really enjoyed it. Paul's back problem is really going to make him a liability if we ever get attacked by zombies.
• My dad has a new batch of chicks. Abbie really enjoys visiting and playing with them and naming them (Mango, Pineapple, and Parrot are the names I remember from the recent batch). She likes putting them on her shoulders and one in each pocket (the deep, baggy kind), but she doesn't like chick poop in her hair.
• We haven't found a house to buy yet. There is one we really like...But we're also toying with the idea of staying in the country and having a house that is not in a neighborhood. Paul changes his mind a lot.
• I still have one foster kitten that I need to find a home for. At times, I have hated all the extra litter duties, but I have really enjoyed the experience so much. I can't wait to do it again!
• Paul is off tomorrow. I wonder how we will spend the day?
• We may go to Asheville next weekend (the Fall colors are wonderful) or we may go to the Creeper Trail if Paul thinks his back can handle it.
• I think I know what design I'll use for this year's Christmas cards.
• There is not a lot on my calendar this week, and I love that!

Kitten Heaven

Hanging with Mr. August Jones. He recently got his tiny bits removed!

Discovering their love of shoestrings.

This is Alaska and Indiana - before they had to go back to the shelter. I have no idea if they are still at the shelter. I've been afraid to look. :(

My honey! He loves kittens too!

A lap full of kittens would make anyone smile.

On Again - Off Again

I have an "on again - off again" relationship with this blog. Sometimes I write a lot; sometimes I don't. When I don't write it is usually because a) I can't think of anything, b) I don't have time, or c) I can't write about what I want to write about.
I know exactly what it is like to "be in the closet." It is claustrophobic in here!
I have developed an interest in politics and a keen interest in the health care debate. While I agree that the availability and affordability of health care is a matter that concerns everyone, this particular subject directly affects Paul's career. And after running his office for 3 years, I've developed an opinion about this topic. Since I think about the current political climate and the current health care debate quite a bit, that is the topic that I'd most like to blog about.
But I don't.
Although it's my blog and I can write about picking my nose if I want to, for now, I'm just going to "stay in the closet."
I fell "off" the no-pork wagon recently. I ordered an egg & cheese biscuit from McDonalds, and I didn't discover that it was a sausage & cheese biscuit until I had left. I didn't have time to go back so I just ate it. YUM!!!!
I promised I wouldn't be crazy about not eating pork.... Paul confirms that I haven't been crazy. But I am back "on" the no-pork wagon and still happy about it.

Chores

I asked Abbie to help me fold laundry. I dumped the items on the couch, and she loved the fresh-from-the-dryer-warmth. She asked me to take the picture so that "you" could see if you can find Abbie (like Where's Waldo).

August Jones, Indiana Jones, and Alaska Jones (and the ears of Friday Jones). Eagerly waiting for me and Abbie to come play.

A bumblebee. I'm a bumblebee lover!

One day, I'm on the porch and look over and see this big bee's nest in our tree!

Eek! I don't think I've ever seen a live hornet's nest (except in a museum). It was very active.
Despite Paul's possible allergies to bees. He took care if it. My hero!

Coffee

Paul and I had a little breakfast date today. We went for donuts and coffee. The donuts were good (not Krispy Kreme good, though). I really dislike drinking non-homemade coffee, but I ordered some today anyway. I wanted some! After I doctored it and doctored it, I told Paul that I was a "high maintenance coffee drinker."

When I get coffee somewhere besides my homemade brew, it is too bitter. It takes too much sugar and creamer to get it the way I like it when I order it in a restaurant. I like my coffee with lots of creamer and sugar, but today at the donut shop, I had to use a kajillion sugar packets and half a kajillion creamer tubs. Blegh, it was still bitter, but I managed to drink it anyway.

But this post really isn't about me or my coffee drinking preferences. It's about Paul.

When I told him I was a high maintenance coffee drinker and that my coffee was too bitter, he said, "The bitterness is what makes coffee fun." I thought that was an interested comment.

After our cup of coffee and two donuts (each), we got in the car. He put both hands on the wheel, and in a giddy, bright-eyed-bushy-tailed look, he said, "I've had my caffeine. I've had my sugar. I'm good!"

I had to giggle. He really WAS good to go!

Summer Camps

We have not loaded down our summer with a lot of activities - mostly on purpose. We skipped swim lessons this year - finally, I can say, she doesn't really need lessons anymore unless she just wants to perfect her skills.
I did let her pick some activities - major ones - and we've scattered those throughout our calendar. We've been to Splash Country, and we've painted pottery. We've gone to the library. We went to Jonesborough for lunch one day to hear a storyteller, but the show was sold out so we strolled and bought expensive chocolate instead. In a few weeks, we're going to Forbidden Caverns. We still need to go to Dollywood.
Last week, she had a half day summer camp at her school. The teacher she will have in 4th grade was doing an Ooey Gooey Science summer camp. They made some pretty neat stuff everyday - volcanoes, slime, quicksand, gopher guts, lava lamps, etc. I think they also blew up some stuff with alka seltzer or maybe it was mentos in coke???
This week, she is in an all-day camp associated with the Methodist church. It's out in the boonies, but she is really enjoying it! Maybe next year she might like to try sleep away camp. If we let her.
I'd also like to do an all-day letterboxing adventure with her. We've got to get that on the calendar. After summer camp this week, there are no more summer camps scheduled. We'll spend the rest of the summer drinking Kool-Aid, eating Popsicles, and hanging out. Our weather has been very agreeable this year (I think the last 2 summers have been mild).

Summer & Kitten Updates

Where to begin - we sold the house, we've been swimming a lot, we've painted some pottery, we're still going to the library regularly. Yesterday, we stayed home most of the day. Today, we ran errands all day - made 12 stops and got a lot done.

Tomorrow, we are going to Gatlinburg to hike to Rainbow Falls. It is 5.6 miles roundtrip, and the hike is considered "strenuous." Not sure how well I will do.....

We've sold the house, and I've let the place go to the dogs. I was so tired of cleaning it and keeping it spic and span. But now I'm disgusted with my slobbishness so I tried to tidy it up tonight. But I'm glad I can actually leave my curling iron on the counter in the bathroom and put a magnet on the refrigerator again. It's not easy to live in a house that looks like something out of a magazine. Bleck!

The kittens are growing and getting cuter all the time. I've taken more pictures and will post more soon. I plan to start another blog - a public one - to discuss the fostering experience, and I hope it will help get them adopted. I can't come up with a catchy name for the blog, and I must have a catchy name!

You can definitely tell which kitten is getting the most milk (January) and which kitten is the runt (no name yet).

Miss Dora is so sweet. I think she's getting bored with kitten care 24/7 - I may need to put some toys in there soon. The kittens still sleep a lot, but now they will sleep in a heap together and not necessarily right up against their mom. When Miss Dora hears me coming, she hops out of the box for two reasons - a can of food and to get petted. I think she would like the same amount of attention that the kittens are getting.

Kitten Pictures

2 days old, first day here, this is the blanket and box they came in. I have washed the blanket.

This kitten is the only one this color. We believe it is a girl. She is named January Jones, and she doesn't have a tail.

Paul fixed the box to keep the flap up. He's good at coming up with solutions.

New blanket while other one gets washed. 3 days old. Mom is Miss Dora Jones.

Close up!

Miss Dora is out of the box eating a can of food. I'm feeding her really well, and she is making lots of milk hence the little round tummy on Miss January Jones.

The kittens either sleep or nurse or stagger around looking for their mom when she is out of the box eating.

Close up! Miss January Jones stands out since she is a different color than the rest. Two other kittens are solid black, one is black with white feet, and one is black/white just like mom.

They are starting to open their eyes. 7 days old. As of today, Miss January Jones is the only one who hasn't opened her eyes. She is the fattest kitten with the roundest belly. She is aggressive and knows where to find her meals and will root anyone out of the way.

We are having a very positive experience fostering. The mom is a gem, and the kittens are thriving. I won't go into the details about how the flea treatment went. Everyone was a trooper about it, but I won't be doing that again to such young kittens (despite the assurance I got from the vet's office). As long as they are not infested, I will wait til they are older before I zero in on the fleas.

We have "kitten time" 3 or 4 times a day ----- or more! We want them to get used to people and children, but we try not to stress Miss Dora. Once she eats, we watch them start to nurse then we leave them alone.

4 days old

The kittens are 4 days old today.

They have fleas. I knew the mom had them because the shelter told me, and I knew that the fleas would spread to the kittens. I just hate to see fleas on such a small animal. They aren't infested with fleas - yet, but we've got to get on this problem quick! You can't use many flea meds on nursing cats, but the vet's office did suggest a spray today that will be safe for the mother and the kittens. I will have to spray a towel and wrap it around the mom and try to hold her for 5- 10 minutes; this should poison the fleas. The problem is that she may not let me hold her for that long. The shelter also gave me a syringe of worm medicine for her. They told me she wouldn't like it. I dreaded giving it to her because I didn't want her to be scared of me. But she was a real trooper. To my surprise, she lapped it right up, even the little bit I spilled on her blanket. Maybe she'll do okay with the flea removal process too. I think she's feeling pretty grateful to me because I am the bearer of the canned food.

I will have to spray a wash cloth and wrap it around each kitten. I plan to do this while the mom is eating a can of food, but I'm afraid the kittens will get cold and mew piteously which will stress Miss Dora.

In honor of The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee (I have fixed the link to that website on my blog), I have decided that Miss Dora and her kittens will have a last name too.

Their last name will be Jones. And in honor of my favorite new TV show (Madmen), I will probably name a kitten January Jones. She is not my favorite actress (I don't know much about her), but every time I see her name in the credits on the show, I always like how that name sounds. Cool! And she is also in my favorite movie, Love Actually.

I decided that Abbie will name two kittens, I will name two, and Paul will name one. We just need to wait and find out which are males and females. Paul has already started terrorizing me with his ideas for a name..............

Abbie and I sit with Miss Dora's family several times a day. We like to watch them root for a boob. Since their eyes are not open, they blindly search. Supposedly, they can feel the nipples with their nose and mouth, but sometimes, they completely pass up a boob that is free and clear. Sometimes, after we watch a kitten take 5 minutes to find and get settled on a nipple, Miss Dora will shift a little, and the kitten will lose his hold. Or another kitten will root him off and steal his spot.

When it is time to go, Abbie has to give each kitten one last pat before she will leave.

Foster Kittens

We are SO enjoying our foster kitten experience. We've had them about 24 hours. Paul built an enclosure for them in the workroom of the garage. They have plenty of room, even when they get bigger and start playing.
The garage is so big, and we don't want them to roam the whole area so that they don't get lost or hurt or into something they shouldn't.
The mom, Miss Dora, is so good. The kittens seem to nurse all the time so she just lays there and lets us pet her. I feed her two cans of food a day - nursing makes her really hungry, and the shelter told me to expect that. She's sweet to us too, and lets us pet her as much as we want.
The mom is black and white and she has no tail (a bobtail). One kitten is black and white like her, two are all black, another is black with white feet, and another is a gray striped tabby. Two kittens have no tail. We try not to hold them anymore than we should, but it's hard not to want to snuggle them. Those little triangular ears....the teeny nose and whiskers.....the itty bitty paw pads....
I'm not going to apologize for blogging about them a lot!
I thanked Paul for the awesome place that he built. He thought of everything. I told him there was even enough room for another kitten enclosure and that we could take in another batch of foster kittens. He didn't even blink an eye. That's how I know I'm married to the right man.

Another Milestone For An Older Child & Cats

Abbie can clip her own fingernails.

That is a big deal. I didn't mind doing it, but she complains the whole time I do it so I'm glad she can do it very well on her own.

We should be getting foster kittens tomorrow. A mom and 5 brand new kittens. Eeeeee!

6-18-09

Up late again - past 2 am. Oy!

Abbie and I enjoyed oatmeal and toast for breakfast. Then we prepared for another trip to the pool.

Before going to the pool, we had to research a bug that terrorized Abbie on Tuesday. As we left ballet on Tuesday afternoon, Abbie told me she heard a buzzing sound. In a high pitched squeal that damaged my hearing, she spotted the flying bug. I had to pull over and get in the back seat to deal with it. I thought it flew out of the car so we got back on the road. As I got back into traffic, the squeal happened again along with panic and hysteria (Abbie thought it was a bee). I told her I couldn't pull over again (heavy traffic) so I rolled her window down. When I got to a red light, I looked back and saw the bug crawling up the crotch of her leotard. A full scale flipping out was about to ensue (her not me). I told her it was on her and told her to hold still because 1. I didn't want her to close her legs and possibly get stung down there and 2. I didn't want her to shift her position and possibly cause the bug to crawl inside her leotard (but thank goodness she had on tights). I was watching the red light and looking for something to swat the thing with when she finally said, "It flew out. Ha! Ha! Ha!" Her giggle amazed me. It's funny how a serious situation can turn funny so fast. Please note that I remained calm the whole time.

Abbie has a thing about bees. And shots. Note the similarity? One day, I let her go to the mailbox by herself. When she didn't come back in the time I thought she should, I went looking for her. I found her standing like a statue near the mailbox. When she saw me, she said "Is there a bee on my back?" There wasn't, and there never has been, but I have often found her in a similar position asking the same question. She will literally not move until someone confirms that there is not a bee on her back. She's never been stung there....

Back to the ballet bug - It was not a bee, but it was a flying insect that I've never seen before. It was like a fly but very unusual. She said it had black beady eyes, and I saw stripes on it. It was about the size of a horse fly, but that's not what it was. We found several pictures of fly species on the Internet but never saw anything that completely matched what I saw. Abbie asked me if it could have been an "invasive species from another country." Her words. :)

Despite the forecast of thunderstorms and a muggy, overcast sky, we picked up one of Abbie's friends and went to the pool. We had fun. While there, her friend said, "Do you want to jump off the diving board?" I casually watched Abbie out of the corner of my eye to see what she would say. To my amazement, she said yes. I was so proud. She jumped off the board repeatedly. So, so proud! After 2 hours at the pool, we had to obey our hunger and headed to Sonic. We were safely in the car when the lightning and thunder rolled in.

This evening, Abbie went to Vacation Bible School with another friend while Paul and I went to Evergreen (a garden store), Home Depot, and Mr.K's.

After exploring several aisles, we found what we wanted at Home Depot. We bought one thing for $1.07. Paul had a dollar, and I had zero change. Paul couldn't believe he had to use the debit card for such a small purchase.

We racked up at Mr. K's - a used bookstore. I got one book, and we bought 7 classics for Abbie and a historic book for her. We started The Call of The Wild by Jack London tonight. The 3 of us will read it together - Abbie chose to start with this one. And Paul bought The Caine Mutiny.

I made a loaf of banana bread tonight. I rarely make it - why? it's so easy! I think we'll have it for breakfast.

Today is our 15th anniversary. We already celebrated with our trip, but we exchanged sweet cards. While Abbie was at VBS, we had a nice evening of running errands (listed above), eating leftovers, and discussing politics. It's just nice to have an adult conversation every once in awhile.

6-17-09

Slept late again today. For some reason, Paul and I have been going to bed at 1:00 am. Not sure how it keeps happening. Then, when in bed, I still can't sleep. Usually, around 2 am, I start to get drowsy. Yesterday, I had no caffeine and took no naps and still went to bed at 1 am.

After breakfast, I cleaned house ALL DAY. Ugh! I did laundry too, and I guess that is why it took so long because normally I can clean it all in 2 hours.

Made a big batch of Kool-Aid today. Later when I blew my nose, it was pink!

We have 3 full baths, but we only use 1. I have banned the use of the other 2 because I don't want to clean them every time we have to show the house. Sometimes, after I vacuum, I say, "keep your carpet walking to a minimum." Hee Hee, I just say it to bug them b/c they'll believe me for a little while.

I made Abbie a grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch. That is about the best combo. I think I like it better than pb & j.

When the house was finally clean, Abbie and I went to the library and switched out some books.

Then we met Paul at Yong Asian House for some Thai Pineapple Fried Rice - yum! The house was being shown, otherwise, we would have had leftovers.

To kill more time, Paul wanted to buy ingredients for Caramel Brownies - otherwise known as "Lorrie's awesome recipe for caramel brownies" - otherwise known as "How much more can Paul screw with the recipe for Lorrie's awesome caramel brownies." Here are some candies he and Abbie pondered adding to the recipe: orange slices, laffy taffy, salt water taffy, and other terrible ideas. At one point, he considered making them mint chocolate caramel brownies, and I told him that might be a good combo, but no, that wasn't weird enough! They finally settled on strawberry milkshake whoppers!!!! Can you believe it? Paul says they were terrible. Thank goodness they made me a small section that was "un-messed-around-with." I don't think I'm going to share with them since they won't listen to me. Paul says, "How can we know how awesome these brownies could be if we don't experiment?" Excellent question. I think experimentation is fun and educational. But I said, "What if the brownie recipe already has the perfect combinations? What if they are already the best they can be?" Well, I guess he will need to keep testing his theory in order to reach my conclusion. Paul was going to take half of the brownies to work tomorrow, but they're so terrible, he can't take any now. Hee Hee!

6-16-09

Got up. Late. Abbie was still asleep.

I ate cereal (now that I have real milk again!). Finished my book.

I heard Abbie moaning and thought she was having a bad dream. I went to check, and it turned out that a cat got rambunctious on the bed, and she had a claw hole in her thumb. I looked at it, and she YELLED at me, "Get a bandaid!!!!". I need to teach her the word STAT! Apparently, getting rudely awakened by an injury can make an 8 year old super grumpy. The bandaid made it all better though. I could be a nurse.

It did rain this morning, and I thought our pool trip would be cancelled, but it cleared up quick. It took a million years to get ready, but we finally made it to the pool. I refuse to get more swimming lessons this year because the kid can swim. She just lacks confidence - not in everything, just some things. At the pool, I had her swim across the pool without touching, and I had her jump off the side of the pool in the deep end and swim to the ladder. And I had her practice treading water. She doesn't want to jump off the diving board, but she has, and I'm sure she will soon. I just have to keep working on her. Not pushing, just buoying.

Then she went to her first summer ballet class and some of her pals were there too.

Came home, and I fixed supper. Paul got home sooner than I thought. He had a rough day so he took a nap. I made spaghetti, rolls, and fried squash (cubed and dusted in cornmeal - yum!).

Then I cleaned house. Bleck!

Paul went outside to finish pressure washing the driveway. A big storm came, and he got his raincoat and finished the job. What a trooper!

6-15-09

3 weeks into summer vacation, and just now, I feel like our summer can begin. We went on vacation the first week, spent the second week doing laundry and general clean up and putting stuff away (and looking at the checkbook for the vacation damage).

I think we're going to the pool tomorrow - if it doesn't rain. I honestly don't mind all the rain we've gotten this year. We need it! It has not been very hot so far either.

Milestone for an older child - Abbie's feet almost sit flat on the floor when she sits on the toilet.

Paul and Abbie have re-started work on the fabulous Lego Deathstar. They stopped work after Christmas because we discovered several missing pieces. But Lego was cool about sending all the replacements.

We are going to start fostering kittens (still nursing and too young to be adopted yet). Before we left on vacation, we had many offers but were told to wait until we returned. Now, the shelter is fresh out of kittens. But I made sure we're at the top of the list when a new batch comes in. Can't wait!

We discovered Dogtown on Nat'l Geographic channel. Love it! During our trip to Utah, I discovered a brochure for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Abbie and I will go there for vacation someday to volunteer.

Abbie is not afraid of frogs (neither am I). Paul is.

We discovered the tiniest frog I've ever seen while we were at the beach. We were playing putt-putt. Maybe they were babies - not sure. Small as a dime. We caught a few and let them go. Later as we were getting in the car, Paul pointed out a teen who was killing something with her putt-putt mallet- really whacking something ruthlessly. He thought maybe it was a frog. I think I went into shock. Planet Earth has little hope with people out there who litter (especially on the beach when there are plenty of garbage cans around), people who ruthlessly kill/abuse animals (even frogs), or people who kill babies. At first, I typed "no hope" but then I amended it.

And yet all is right with the world when a pot of soup beans comes out exactly right.

Abbie spent the night with my mom. For breakfast, she made her scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Abbie asked my mom if her eggs were as good as mine. My mom said, "Well, I reckon so, Abbie. Your mom grew up eating my eggs so I guess they're good." While Abbie was eating, my mom asked her if her eggs were as good as mine. Abbie simply said, "No."

I can't drink organic milk. I have bought organic milk several times in the past. I'd prefer my milk without added hormones and antibiotics. I've bought several brands, but they have all spoiled before their expiration date. When we got back from the beach, I went shopping at Earthfare and all their milk is organic so I had no choice. I poured it out today (the expiration day was today). The reason I poured it out was because I haven't been drinking it (psychosomatic). I poured a little in a cup just to check. I only smelled it though, and it was gross! I don't know; maybe it's all in my head, but I'm back on Mayfield.

We ate at a Melting Pot while we were at the beach - our first time. We really enjoyed it. Wish we had one close by.

While we were at the beach, we stopped at Krispie Kreme. I asked Paul if he wanted to go through the drive-thru. He said, "No, that would be like going through a strip club drive thru. You have to go in to get the proper amount of temptation." Too true - we left with more than a dozen.

Kid in A Candy Store

Once I get my pictures loaded, I'll post some about our beach trip.

Abbie's been gone for two days - spent the night with my mom one night and the next night with her cousin. I hate her being gone, but she had fun. I asked her if she missed us, and she said no. !!!!!

Before I went to pick her up today, I went to the library (the candy store). Abbie and I both needed more books. While I love, love, love going to the bookstore; I also love going to the library. Since the books are free to borrow, I usually check out more than I can read b/c I can't seem to stop myself. I discovered a new writer (Adriana Trigiani), and I'm trying to finish the series. The library had one of the ones I needed, but I also got another book of hers that is unrelated to the series. And I got a cookbook. While looking for the cookbook, I discovered a college lecture series on DVD. I checked out the science selection since that is currently Abbie's favorite subject. The DVD has about 8-10 lectures on it, and there are 5 DVD's for this subject. I wonder if she will find them boring? Well, if it's just a professor standing there lecturing, I will also find them boring. But if there are lots of pictures, I think we'll enjoy it. There were many other subjects available. It was hard for me to make up my mind.

With the library being downtown, there are usually some interesting characters hanging around. Homeless people come in often to enjoy the heat or air conditioning depending on the season. As long as they are reading the paper, book, or magazine; they can stay as long as they like. I'm glad.

I had to return some books upstairs in the reference section (our library has a cool program for book clubs), and this area is where people go to get on the Internet. Many, many interesting people there too. I like to look at their screens as I walk by just to see what interests them (no, I don't read their stuff, I just look at the website in general). I can remember when we didn't own a computer when we lived in Kentucky, and I had to go to the library to check my email. Glad I don't have to do that anymore. Librarians must have an interesting job, but I'm sure they don't enjoy "babysitting" the public like they sometimes have to.

I remembered some books that I enjoyed in middle school that I thought Abbie might enjoy. I couldn't remember the author or the titles, but I asked a librarian to help me anyway. I gave her a description and she knew the books! Unbelievable!!

I did possibly meet a "disturbed" person as I was walking in today. When I started up the walkway, he got up off the wall and started walking directly in my path (there was lots of room around me). I was afraid I was going to get accosted, but he didn't touch me. Although he did look directly at me and mutter some ugly words as he walked past. Bleh!

The only thing I don't like about the library is that some books that you want are either checked out, or they don't have them. I like immediate gratification.

I got several books for Abbie. We'll probably have to go back to the library this week because she reads fast like me. I can't keep her in books so she sometimes has to re-read her favorites. Thank goodness she has a huge collection already. I'm getting her a new series for her birthday. She just finished the Dear Dumb Diary series. I am on the last one because I like them too. I try to keep up with what she is reading. These books are hilarious, and I don't understand how I man writes so well about a middle school girl. I wish these books had been available when I was Abbie's age.

Today, I asked her what she wanted for her birthday. As usual, she said she didn't know. I have a feeling that I will have to wing it.

P.S. the new Wendy's frosties look scrumptious! We're going tomorrow after church.

Our Boy is Home

Angel came home this morning.

Losing a pet is horrible. Losing a child must be a gazillion times worse. I lost Abbie for 2 minutes in a big, public, busy place (and it was dark) and that was horrible. I actually thought she might have been abducted so I was 1 second away from a full blown panic attack when she came back. I won't tell that story this time (but I will say I lost her without taking my eyes off her - figure that one out!).

Angel was missing approximately 36 hours. And there was a dark cloud over my life. As much as I've been looking forward to vacation, I was dreading going b/c I was worried Angel might come home while we were away.

When it got dark, I worried more about him - was he scared, did he know where he was, could he get home? It rained, and I worried again - was he scared, was he wet and cold, was he far away?

I've been looking out the kitchen window multiple times a day. We had flyers made, and we distributed them around the neighborhood yesterday. I was going to the humane society today and to the local vets. Luckily, Angel is microchipped. He won't wear a collar. He claws at it until he bleeds.

This morning, before I made breakfast for Abbie, I went out the backdoor and called for him. He wasn't there. While I was looking out over the yard, wondering if I would ever see him again, I heard a meow, and I turned and saw him running to me. He got a can of cat food before Abbie got her breakfast, but she didn't mind.

I took him to the bedroom and put him on the bed so Paul could see him too. He smiled and said, "Now I won't be in the doghouse anymore."

Angel is on my lap right now. He's being a little clingy.

Abbie news - Abbie asked me another sensitive question today. I guess she's got things on her mind. But it's normal, and it's time for her to be asking.

Superstitions

I'm not superstitious and never have been. I wasn't raised to be superstitious so maybe that's why I'm not. I believe in personal choice instead of good luck/bad luck.

I have known superstitious people. A friend's mom was very superstitious about black cats. She thought it was bad luck if a black cat crossed her path, and she would make a mark in the air (a cross or an x - I can't remember) to erase the bad luck.

Lots of people "knock on wood." I have been known to do that, but it seems more of a habit from having seen other people do it. I'm thankful to God for the good things in my life, and I'm thankful for making good decisions/choices - but I don't think "knocking on wood" is an appropriate way to show my thankfulness. But sometimes I do it! :)

A lady I used to work with would throw salt over her shoulder every time we went out to eat. I thought superstitious people only threw salt over their shoulder if they accidentally spilled some. But she threw the salt every time.

While we've been looking at houses, we have certain criteria that we're looking for - like number of bedrooms or size of property or where the neighborhood is located. I rarely pay attention to the actual address, but I'd love my future address to have a street name that is easy to spell. I detest spelling my last name, my first name (b/c my mom had to be different but I do like my name spelling), AND my street name. Even though I don't pay a lot of attention to the actual address, I do eventually see the address and consider it.

Here is a list of my past street numbers:
410
1406
1204
104

Here is something that I noticed. There is a 4, a 1, and a zero in all of those. Even though I'm not superstitious, if I found myself in a tie breaker between two houses, I'd pick the house with a 4, a zero, and a 1.

We looked at a house today that we REALLY like and are considering making an offer - its address is 403.

In other news. our cat Angel is missing. Last night, I decided to clean the oven using the self cleaning option. I have never done this before. I used to pay my housekeeper to do it for me. I have not cleaned the oven since we let her go. It was time to clean it, but I'm proud to say that it wasn't nasty or disgusting, but there was a spill. I cracked a kitchen window in case the kitchen got stinky or got that "hot" smell. I only cracked the window a bit since there is no screen. I also didn't want the cats to get out or bugs to fly in. When I went to bed, I realized that Angel was not around. I looked everywhere - twice - I even looked in the freezer. I woke up Abbie to ask her when she saw him last. I asked Paul twice if he could remember when he saw him last. I knew when I'd seen him - just before we went on a walk, and I knew he was in the house. Once we came back from the walk, we didn't go back out so I couldn't think how he would have gotten outside. I kept going back to Paul asking him how Angel could have gotten outside. He wasn't really paying attention since he was playing a computer game. Meanwhile, I was going to the front door, back door, upstairs garage, and downstairs garage multiple times. Much later (midnight maybe) Paul finally told me that he had opened the kitchen window much wider while the oven was cleaning. Ahhh - that's how Angel got out. Today, we had flyers made and distributed them around the neighborhood. We hope he finds his way home!

Abbie's big question of the day: "Mom, do you have to be married to get a baby?" I told her the truth, and I think I explained it well.

A New Milestone

Sometimes, when you don't have a small child anymore and you know people that do, you feel a little left out.
There is always some milestone for parents with small children. A new tooth or the first lost tooth or their first taste of real food or their first steps or their first time to go to the potty or their first time to sleep through the night, etc.
This isn't a complaint because we've experienced all those too.
But when your child gets older, the milestones get farther apart. But there are milestones; maybe not very typical but still really important.
Bigger kid milestones:
Doesn't cry anymore when you leave her at preschool/school
Can reach the kitchen faucet
Can pour their own drink
Doesn't need a sippy cup*
Can play outside without constant parental supervision and OCD alertness for danger
Doesn't cry when they get a shot
Finally has all their immunizations
Will actually request that their nails be trimmed
Can multiply
Will request to download a song on the iPod
Wants to practice texting

I *starred* the sippy cup comment because I was cruising the grocery store the other day and walked past the baby/kid stuff aisle. And I thought how I don't have to go down this aisle anymore, and it kind of made me feel sad. I remember when I had to go down this aisle all the time because I always needed more sippy cup inserts.

Abbie reached a new milestone this past week. A leetle late. She can now ride a bike all on her own without training wheels or any help or support of any kind. She's semi-pro.

This is practically an engraved announcement milestone for her.

We're so proud of Abbie, and she is so proud of herself.

Vampires & Second-Wife-Search Update

Paul has finally decided to read the Twilight series. So far, he and I agree on all the things that bug us about the books.

As we were briefly discussing the books, he mentioned that it doesn't make sense that vampires are supposed to be cold (or very, very cold). His reasoning is that even a chair will be room temperature, plus they are clothed, and they might have some circulation going on (we're not sure about that one though). Makes complete sense to me.

Then we agreed that it doesn't make sense that vampires are supposed to be hard or like stone. Our reasoning is rock solid. Sorry about the pun!

And we agreed that Anne Rice has done vampires the best - in our opinion. We might have to write our own vampire book to prove our genius about vampire physiology.

Remember this post? Well, I did go right out to the grocery store. And I've cooked twice since that post (I'm not even going to tell the gourmet things I made so no one will be jealous). And we've interviewed a Miss Bell and a Miss Brown for the job of second wife (as in Taco Bell and Cootie Browns).

Complaint Dept

If you have any complaints, post them here. I've got a good one (I think).

Another post about ballet - mainly b/c I'm there a lot lately. Abbie's ballet company has two teachers - those are really the only 2 people that run the place. There is a non-profit section to the company (so they can get grants), and there is a board for that, but I never hear or see anyone or anything about the board.
With the teachers being busy teaching, there is no one to do all the other things that need to be done so they use A LOT of volunteers. I think certain parents (maybe this is where board members come into play) take turns cleaning the place each week, and 9 times out of 10, the place is a mess and dirty. The bulletin boards are jammed, and no one cleans them off, but new things do get added.
There is a hand written sign (one of the teachers probably got one of the ballerinas to write it) on the door that warns you that tuition is due by the 10th of the month or there is an additional fee. They are big on timely payments.
Yesterday, a mom was suddenly asked to create a sign up sheet for the reception after the recital. She didn't know what items to suggest people to bring, she didn't know how many to expect to feed, she had to keep going back to ask for details from the teacher. She had to find scrap paper to create a sign up sheet. She and another mom also made a sign about the next few practice days - where and when they are - because there was no consensus between the teachers and all the other parents were operating on different info.

But here is my complaint!!!!

I spend all this time taking Abbie to ballet (we blow an hour each week before class starts then she is there for an hour and a half). And I pay the tuition (on time!) and buy the requisite black leotards and pink, non-shiny tights and real ballet shoes. I take her to the extra Saturday practices for the recital (the extra classes and dress rehearsals add up to lots of hours). I pay the recital fee for the costume that is specially made. They've even added an extra dress rehearsal this year (so there will be two dress rehearsals) so we'll be at that too. The night of the recital, she has to be there an hour before the show begins. She will arrive with a button down shirt so that it is easy to remove so she can put on her costume. Her hair will be in a perfect ballet bun - no hairs sticking out anywhere. And she will have makeup on (a modest amount in a color they specify - I already have it all packed and ready to go). And I will be dressed in a nice skirt and top, Paul will be dressed nice, and we will surprise Abbie with a bouquet of flowers after the performance. And we may even have guests coming to watch her perform. And I will arrive with a veggie tray and plate of cookies that I volunteered to bring for the reception afterwards. I do all this for Abbie.

The kicker is - if the teachers have their way - I won't get to see the performance. They might need me to volunteer to take tickets, or stay downstairs with the girls (chaperone) until they get called to perform, or get the food & drinks ready for the reception. They have other moms who go around with headsets and clipboards (kind of like a backstage manager). Some moms are needed at the sides of the stage. Some jobs won't take much time, but they mostly need chaperones, and if you do that (which I admit is important), you don't get to see the show at all. I did it one year so I know.

Now the ballet classes aren't for me, but I think the payoff is getting to see your child perform. If they ask me to volunteer and I decline, I will be viewed as a "non-team player." Blech!

Abbie Still Lives Here

Some people (hopefully) may wonder why my blog is hardly ever about Abbie. Maybe Lorrie just likes to write about herself or cats? Not true.

Abbie still lives here. She's still sweet and snuggly and an animal lover and cute!

Here's what she's been up to: school (a given), homework (another given, but she has struggled this year - a post for another day), playing with the cats, riding her scooter, reading (a lot), playing Poptropica - an online game, asking when we can go to the animal shelter again, not watching much TV, whistling (I have to tell her to quit whistling at night so she will go to sleep), speaking with a French accent, and being sweet.

She likes to read books about animals - cats, dogs, foxes, manatees, you-name-it. She is currently reading a book about a fox named Rusty who gets caught in barbed wire.

And she likes to eat candy with Paul - they always have a stash somewhere.

She also likes to make elaborate snacks. I don't even think I could describe it, but she puts a lot of thought and variety in it.

Eating - she is such a great eater! I read an article in a parenting magazine that said you just have to keep serving healthy food to your kids, 0ver and over, and one day, they will eat it. They finally get used to seeing it. And the advice was that you shouldn't make them separate meals when they won't eat what you've cooked. That sounded like a lot of common sense to Paul and me so that's what we've done. In the past, when she wouldn't eat much of her meal, we said, "that's okay, we'll put it in the frig for later if you get hungry." WORKS! Whatever I cook (when I do cook), we put a little on her plate of everything available. She never makes a face and never declares "yuck" or "I'm not eating that." She doesn't always like what I make, and that's okay. We don't make her eat stuff she doesn't like, but she does have to try it. And we never make her clean her plate. But I can't say we've been good influences about drink choices, but I do find that she likes water more than she did. I guess I'm bragging about her eating habits b/c my own eating habits sucked for a looonngg time!

She has also developed an interest in climbing trees. She gets a chance every time we go to my mom's house. There is an apple tree there that is perfect for climbing.

Today, her class had a kickball competition with the second graders. They play them again tomorrow. I like cheering for her and watching her run the bases.

School is almost out - yippee!

Paul Says, Part 3

Paul has been doing several (very much, a lot, a whole lot) projects around the house. He is very good at electrical work - wiring and putting in new lights. Doesn't interest me at all. My friend, Leslie, told me that she recently installed a new light fixture and that it was easy - you just match up the colors of the wires. Still not interested - mainly because I'd have to go in the garage and figure out which switch to flip to turn off the power. I just don't wanna do it, but I do clean toilets without a lot of complaining, and I'm good at it.

Back to Paul.

Paul has also gotten really good at plumbing work. He installed a brand new sink in the master bath (new sink top, new cabinet, and new faucets). Then I discovered that the sink downstairs was leaking so he had to fix that before our open house last Sunday. He says, "I've learned a few things about plumbing. When you think you've wrapped the teflon tape around the pipe enough, you need to go ahead and wrap it about ten more times." He's had to learn that the hard way.

Yesterday, he also said that he needs a second wife - one that cooks. I said, "amen!" Then I said, "where is she going to sleep?"

Luckily, he gave a good response. I was the only one thinking of the naughty thing he could have said.

Guess I'm going to the grocery store today!

Life Isn't Fair - And That's Normal

Life isn't fair, and it's best to learn that lesson early in life. It's not fair when the hot item to have is a Coke shirt and your mom buys you the Pepsi shirt (it does matter, mom!) - that some oppossoms don't make it all the way across the road - that some people are unforgiving - that some people have medusa hair and some have perfect hair - that some don't obey the rules of the road - that I can't text as fast as my nieces - that some exes won't "friend me" on Facebook (hey dude, it's been forever - get over it!) and the list goes on and on.

Abbie has taken ballet for several years now, at least for 5 years. Her company teaches classical ballet which is hard to find here (although there are lots of places that teach dance). Her teachers take ballet very serious. They think ballet and ballet practice should come before ALL else. Although they wouldn't want you to come to class if you were sick, they expect you to come to every class (see the conflict?), take classes in the summer, and sign up for extra classes when they have special guest teachers. If you do all that, you get better parts in the recitals (as long as you can actually dance). And when the day of the recital comes, you better dance whether you have the flu or any deadly disease. It makes complete sense to me, and I think that is fair-ish if you are that dedicated to ballet and understand the expectations upfront.

So far, we haven't been that dedicated - our choice. By the time summer rolls around, I need a break, and Abbie is sick of it (although now that she has changed teachers, she is enjoying it a lot more). Since she enjoys ballet, we continue to sign up every year.

Since Abbie says she wants to dance in the Nutcracker in December, we had to agree to sign up for summer classes and attend extra practice for the performance. I explained these requirements to Abbie, and she still wanted to do it.

Right now, her class is preparing for the end-of-year recital. She goes to regular class once a week and now has to go to extra practice on Saturdays. Last Friday, her school called me to pick her up b/c she was sick. She threw up later that night so I didn't take her to the Saturday ballet class - she probably got dinged for that.

At Tuesday's class, I noticed that the teacher was playing a new song that I hadn't heard before. Several moms were crowded around the door to watch them do a new dance for the upcoming recital. But not all of the girls in the class were participating in the dance. Abbie was one of the girls sitting out along with 4 others, but it wasn't b/c Abbie had missed the last Saturday class b/c weeks ago I had heard the teacher tell select moms to come early to practice (earlier than the time listed on the practice schedule). So the teacher had this dance and the dancers chosen awhile back. And you could tell they had had practice at some undisclosed place and time.

As I was leaving class on Tuesday, the moms of the girls who were sitting out for the extra dance were trooping in to see the teacher. I'm sure they thought it wasn't fair. I think they think the teacher is playing favorites. One mom thinks it is a passive-aggressive slight b/c her child had to leave a few classes early for a ball game. There probably is some favoritism going on, and that isn't fair, but life isn't fair, and I understand that. I'm not going to get mad and leave - that won't solve anything. But I'm not going to kiss anybody's butt (why I'd never make it in Hollywood - not that Hollywood wants me! :) ).

From the beginning, when Abbie started ballet, I sat back and watched everything going on around me, and I picked up some of these undercurrents - I figured out the way they do things. I feel sorry for the new moms who are just now learning how it all works. I almost can't wait for the possible drama next week!

Moms

I spent a very nice day with my mom and with Abbie.
Paul and Abbie made breakfast for me this morning, got me flowers, and a surprise gift.
Later, we loaded up the car to go to my mom's house. It was Paul's idea to go to my mom's today and fix her lunch.
{Btw, Paul did try to call his mom and got voicemail. Maybe she had to work}
I don't think my mom liked anything I made, but that is okay. I don't cook much anymore, and even though I love her, I had no plans to cook an elaborate meal. And my mom is sort of a food snob - not in a cranky, mean way - she just mostly likes her own cooking. And ever since she had a brain aneurysm, her sense of taste is off (and she can't smell anymore either).
As soon as we got there, I started making a butterscotch pie. During the process, I set off the smoke alarm. Even though I didn't let the filling cook long enough to get thick enough, the pie turned out great, and it was the one thing she liked. You had to eat the pie with a spoon, but it was yummy!
While I worked on the pie, Paul put together a salad and grated all the cheese for fondue. She didn't like the fondue either. It had a bottle of beer in it, and I think that funked it up too much for her. I did mean to say "funk" because that is how I would describe the added flavor (Paul and I like it).
We also made chili pie - corn chips, chili, and cheese. Chili was from a can - regular not hot. But she thought it was spicy so she didn't eat much.
She also wondered what kind of lettuce was in the salad. It was from a bag, and I couldn't remember. She picked at it. If it had been regular iceberg and had had tomatoes in it, she probably would have been okay with it. She did like the cucumbers Paul put in it.
Normally, I like people to like my cooking, but her lack of interest in my mediocre cooking didn't hurt my feelings. I know how she is. My stepdad, on the other hand, had seconds of everything.

Here's more info about my mom's weird food snobbery. When she travels, she starves because she doesn't like other people's cooking. She traveled extensively up the east coast and didn't like any of the food. Not even the amish cooking. She's even been to Paula Deen's restaurant and wasn't impressed. She went to some fancy restaurant, and the waitress noticed she was picking at her food, and she asked my mom if something was wrong. My mom said she had never had green beans the way they cooked them (I think they were long, skinny, green beans that had been lightly sauted). The waitress was shocked and said the restaurant was known for their green beans. She asked my mom how she cooked hers, and my mom told her. She cooks her green beans a LONG time with bacon grease and a hunk of bacon or ham and plenty of salt and pepper. One morning, they stopped in a Hardee's (somewhere up north), and my mom was excited (they had been traveling for weeks and she was beginning to starve from lack of homecooking). She stepped up to the counter and ordered biscuits and gravy (what she orders from Hardees at home). The employee informed her that they didn't have biscuits and gravy. My mom asked if they were out, and the lady said, "no, people don't eat that around here, but we have porridge." Boy, was she shocked and disappointed.

Growing up, the only drinks we had at our house was water (a given), whole milk (what she still buys), and tea (of course, it is sweet, anything else is sacriligious/dishwater). Anytime my mom has been in the hospital for surgery (and she's had several), she asks for tea as soon as she comes out of recovery. Not just any tea will do, it has to be her own tea, and of course, the nurses only want her to have water so soon out of surgery. We have to sneak it in (you can't ignore her request). When she travels, especially up north, you can't get sweet tea. And even if you could get sweet tea, she doesn't like anyone elses. She tolerates mine (I make it just like she does). Now when she travels, she makes her own tea on the road. And to get the authenitic taste that she is used to, she brings her own sugar and her own tap water from home. It's her way or nothing!

And in other news, this weekend was the annual Iris Show in Greeneville (goes along with their Iris Festival). My mom won BEST IN SHOW for her Iris named Supreme Sultan. This is the first "named" Iris that she ever owned, and I bought it for her several years ago (I had forgotten that, but she reminded me). She now owns numerous named Irises, and her garden is phenomenal! I'm so proud of her!

Abbie and I had a great day together too. She got me a "singing" card - she loves to pick those out. She helped me and Paul cook lunch. Then she played outside with my mom's dog. She and I borrowed my mom's scooter and rode it around the block. She is going to sleep with me tonight - as a special Mother's Day treat for her.

Bad Word

Some men are just rat bastards (not any of mine).

And no matter how hard you try, you just can't save some people from them. :(

Vivid Dream

Last night (or early this morning), I had a vivid dream. I'd love for someone to psychoanalyze it:

I dreamed that me and Angelina Jolie were BFFs. She was showing me her new tattoo on her ankle - she hadn't even shown it to Brad yet. Then she described for me a tattoo that Brad had on his back.
Then we took a drive, I was driving, she was shotgun. We were on a dark, country road, and she asked me to pull over so she could check her mailbox. There were large fruit bats perched in trees and on fences along the road (it wasn't scary though). I pulled over on the left side of the road, up close to the mailbox. But the mailbox was deep so I had to lean out of the car to get to all the mail. While I was getting the mail, Angelina had to get out of the car for some reason. Up ahead, I saw a car coming our way (deserted, dark, country road - remember?). I was pushing all the button on the steering wheel, trying to find the hazard lights so the other car wouldn't run into me because I was parked on the wrong side of the road. Angelina was no where in sight. I was calling, "Angelinaaaa....." over and over and then I woke up.
Weird!

Things I Miss

Portions of this post are dedicated to my sister-in-law Theresa. *

I miss (in no particular order):

*Bacon, specifically Oscar Mayer center cut crispy bacon
Ham and Cheese sandwiches from Pals
Club Sandwiches (cause they have ham and bacon on them)
Pork Tenderloin
Pulled Pork Barbeque
Watson
Molly
Ellie
Loved ones who have passed away
Size 6 clothes
The beach
My motorcycle
A tan
Baklava, my sister rarely makes this and hers is the best
The desire to shop
Irises, I don't have any planted, but my mom has several. When we move, I'll plant some
Battlestar Galactica
October Road
Past coworkers who have moved away
Local scrapbook store
A special green ice cream from my childhood that they don't make anymore
Playing board games and card games
and..................bacon!

Can You Be A Little Agoraphobic?

Lately, I've been feeling a little agoraphobic. People who know me would say that can't be true because I leave the house everyday - sometimes 3 times a day.
Yet, I feel like I don't go anywhere anymore - on purpose. I do take Abbie to school, and I do pick her up from school, and I take her to ballet. And I go to church. And I love to go out to eat and to the bookstore. Or for ice cream.

So if all that is true, how could I feel agoraphobic? Since I don't panic or get anxious about going out then I can't truely be agoraphobic. But I do seem to be more and more reclusive.

I put off going to the grocery store or Target as long as possible. I prefer to do my school run and then come straight home. And I don't go back out after I get home. The thought of running 2-3 errands does not appeal to me.

The other day, I went to the Mall to return something (I didn't buy it, Paul did - further proof that I haven't been shopping) then I stopped in Gymboree (which was conveniently close to the store where I made the return). Our Mall is undergoing remodeling and new stores are being added. In the distance, I saw a new store open, and I vaguely wondered what it was and that I'd like to go there - but I didn't. I thought about going downstairs to a department store, but I talked myself out of it. I decided to leave without really shopping - I do like to shop.

I've been wanting to go to the bookstore for about a week and still haven't gone. That fact alone shows just how acute my reclusiveness is.

Just talking out loud here in order to give myself a little therapy - maybe a little insight into why I never want to go anywhere.

The only idea I can come up with is that I am really sick of the drive to and from town. Based on some people's commute, I shouldn't complain. But I just want to be there! I want to get in the car, pass maybe 2 stop lights, make a few turns and BE THERE ALREADY.

And last idea is that our home has become an oasis. We're getting plenty of rain, our lawn is very green and lush, so many flowers are blooming, the house is clean (mostly due to the possibility of needing to show it at any moment). Hey, maybe I don't want to shop because I've done so much decluttering......

Well, I have planned some shopping rehab the middle of the month. I'm taking my hot, little church paycheck and going shopping in Knoxville. I'm even spending the night. If I find a cure, I'll let you know.

Until then, I'll be here, at home.

You're Invited

Abbie will be dancing in her ballet company's recital on Friday, May 29 at 7:00 pm at Seeger Chapel, Milligan College. They are doing a production of Snow White. She's going to be Bashful, a dwarf. She will also be in a jazz number - separate from the Snow White storyline. {She is reading over my shoulder and says she likes Jazz the best.}

Right after her recital, we are leaving for our vacation! Yay- it's not that far away!

And in December, she will be dancing in The Nutcracker. Don't know dates or times yet or her role. But it's an honor for her just to be asked!