Zero to 60

How is that a house hold goes from peace & quiet to screaching in such a short space of time? I guess if you live with a husband who can go zero to 60 in .05 seconds flat it shouldn't be any surprise. Or perhaps I'll just chalk it up to hormones. One girl PMS'ing, the other only had 5 hours sleep because of a spring break sleepover birthday party. I guess I should be happy that it can be stiffled with the mom voice and the threat of turning off their favorite show. You just don't want "old lady T" to come out - that's what I tell them. She's a nasty one.

Two completely different movies

Watched two movies last night. The Interpreter (Sean Penn/Nicole Kidman) and 40 Year Old Virgin. Wow - two ends of the spectrum!! E wanted to watch 40 year old w/ us LIKE NO - its rated 18A. Aw, but mom, everybody's seen it!! I said fine, wait 5 more years and you can see it too... yes, I'm cruel. It was actually a very funny movie. A few to many F sharps, but not nearly as stupid as I thought it would be. The Interpreter - that was good. A very moving story line. Hubby thought it was too slow, I thought it was riveting (almost). Though I must say this. Nicole Kidman should NOT wear mens shoes. Just all wrong for her.

The box of chocolates...

Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona
when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the
trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo
woman if she would like a ride. With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got
into the car.

Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with
the Navajo woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at
everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a white
bag on the seat next to Sally.

"What in bag?" asked the old woman.

Sally looked down at the white bag and said, "It's a box of chocolates. I
got it for my husband".

" The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with
the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said: "Good trade."

Simple pleasures

I am sitting by myself, got the remote, the tv, food, what could be better! Hubby at work, kids upstairs watching tv. I'm currently blogging & texting to my SW buddy and doing nothing with a sink full of dishes.

I NEVER get the remote!!! Love the show Will & Grace, I'm killing myself laughing (Back to Back Eppisodes!!!!!). Can't believe how much pleasure I get out of 60 minutes of ME time. Just counting down till my space is invaded again... Really have to get this time to myself more often...

somethings make me sigh...

My youngest is on a committee at school I didn't know about. Leadership cte or something like that. I opened the manual she had and realized it was like a playground mediation group, or something like that. These kids are expected to take a leadership role and not let kids bully etc. They had listed positive attributes that they came up with things like: kindness, not bullying, respect for others and the list goes on. I thought - this is a great cte!! teaches all the things I value. All the things Y already knows and exhibits on a regular basis. Imagine my surprise when I go to the front page where all the kids in her class are listed. She is to say something about 5 of them that she has in common with someone else in her class - one was "susan" and I both like horses - you get the idea. Then I come to one - "rose" and I both hate "rick". do it with me now - **SIGH**. I couldn't help it, I asked her, what is up with that. Once she thought about it, she was completelly crushed out. That wasn't my goal, I was just surprised. This ever evolving world... everybody keeps learning, everyday... I learnt I have to keep teaching. I'm not quite done yet.

Star Wars

Molding young minds. What fun. We just finished Return of the Jedi. The kids wanted to have the whole experience so every few weeks we watch a star wars movie. Finished the first 3 (or make that 4,5,6) now on to the prequil's. The kids love them!! Y calls Ewoks Teddy Bears. Its a lot of fun. The first three seem so tame in comparison. Most of the violence is suggested, or implied off screen. The movies are good. I wonder what it would be like if they re-did the first three with the same type of new technolgy as was used in the the prequil's (am I spelling that right?). Darth Vadar seems so fierce/sinister in Revenge of the Syth - and a little wimpy in the originals. But they are fun movies. I'm glad the kids are enjoying them with us...

Report Cards

WOW - who knew kids could do so well. I'm so proud of the girls. Almost all marks for both of them well into the 80's & 90's. I couldn't be more proud. Even in Gym class!! It doesn't mean they are the best at what they do, but that they are trying their best (don't have to be the best - just have to try your best - that saying has come in handy more times then i can count, thanks Just a thought).

Somehow the importance of school was lost on me growing up. I could blame it on a lot of things, but I think mostly I was lazy. If only I knew then, what I know now blah, blah, blah. Someday I'd like to take a course or two - just to "get it right". Redeem myself, just a little bit.

Maybe when I grow up...

Help Desk

Have you ever been one of those people IT guys write home about? I must say I'm proud of myself. Our help desk had to read my email request 3 or 4 times before it made sense to him. I used to think I was pretty concise and to the point, but it seems that in my rush to be smart and witty I almost failed to clarify my immediate need. Which, as it turned out could have been summed up in the sentence "I need access to folder such & such". Who knew they didn't want all the background? Who knew the short story would have been sufficient. I think from now on I'll send two emails - one with the long version and a few minutes later the short. Oh wait, these guys are by the hour (or should that be "buy" the hour). I know, I know, don't quit my day job.

Some days I wish this computer came with a help desk - oh wait it did - to bad this help desk isn't open 24/7. Something about family life... oh well.

K, I'm babbling now. I so need more sleep...

RIGHT ON

I am just inside checking my email for some work stuff... always helping out don't you know.

We have spent the last hour or so outside around the fire. I'm waiting for kids to be ready to tuck in - then back outside. Hubby & Buddy B are outside keeping the fire warm and beers cold. What a content time. Weather is perfect for this. Couldn't do it in the city and I love it.

Can you feel my smile? I am so content. Hope you are to.

Extended Family

We had a family gathering tonight. Cousins, couple of Aunts & Uncles and also my immediate family mom dad, brothers, their wives and kids. On and off today I didn't want to come, it felt like a lot of work. But I must admit, after a little warm up time - I really enjoyed myself. I had to step out of my box and talk to people I only see 1 or 2 times a year - I found that once I embraced the moment - it was wonderful. At one point I ended up singing hymns & camp songs with my sister in law, my
cousin & my aunt (on guitar). What a special moment. These women can sing. I could have cried. It warmed my heart.

I had to work at staying away from my immediate family - its like being in a clique - you want to stay wherever you are most comfortable (plus, I just really enjoy their company to the max, so why wouldn't I want to hang with them).

It was nice. Its too bad we only do this once or twice a year. I said we should do it more often - and - oh my goodness, I think I offered up my house for the next one... we'll see - LOL. I really would like them to come. I'll just have to get off my butt and do it.

Things that suck

Fiberglass
Wet roads the sun bounces off of into your eyes
Accidents on the way home
Getting our drinking water tested because there's a funny smell (more on that another day)

Lets got back to the fiberglass. I was helping a dad, lets call him Joe, at kids club last night get a rod out of a floor hockey stick that he got stuck, thereby turning it into an instant weapon and accident waiting to happen with 6-12 year olds around! He anchored it with a vice grip and began twisting with a wrench. I came over to help and it did - as he twisted, I twisted and pulled. As we made progress, my hands got closer to where he was shredding the rod, then I touched the shredded bit - well guess how much fiberglass is inbedded in my thumb & forefinger - dozens of little slivers barely visible to the naked eye!!! Well, we tried tape to pick them off - a little success... as we speak I've got white glue drying on my fingers - Health Links said put white glue on, let it dry and peel it off along with (i hope) the slivers!! Seems to me I did this in Jr. High... then she said get a tetnus update - whatever, we'll see, my fingers are so sensitive - how dumb do I feel!!!

Things that don't suck
Got the rod out of the hockey stick
Sun shone all the way home
I did not get in an accident today
I can buy bottled water

ignoring the computer?

I think i've been ignoring my home computer for a few days. I guess sometimes you need to do that.

Anyway watched the most amusing thing Saturday night. (amusing if you are not the party involved...) Went to a 50th party for a co-worker of hubby's. When we get there Susan (not her real name) is waiting not so patiently for her hubby Nick (not his real name) to show up. Hasn't talked to him since 4pm, they live out of town so she brought her car in and he had his truck. Long story short, he wasn't there even after birthday girl arrived at 9:10 or so. Susan was getting worried. I finally asked if she'd like to go find him. YES. So I drove. We got outside and I asked are you worried. She was SO worried, she had tried his dad's house, where he was supposed to have gone after work... everyone who could have possibly gone for drinks with him was already at the party and no-one had seen him. We drove to hotel on the highway and guess what - his truck. She nearly flipped. We walked in, she went up to him and said something, turned around and walked out - he's yelling Susan, come back... she bolted. Trying to think fast I asked her if she had keys to his truck - he had just been getting ready to "drive" to hte party. He'd run into some "Newfies" and had to tell them every single Newfie joke he knew. Susan said she had keys and took off. I asked her did she want me to drive him to hte party or make him walk... she smiled briefly then and said I could drive him. I went back into the bar and told Nick, lets go, your with me. He was happy about that!! So as we went, claiming not to be drunk he wondered how he could possibly fix this. I asked him how he'd fixed it in the past - his answer - great sex... I told him not an option right now (but I did laugh). Well we got there and she would not speak to him. She refused to give him more money and no one else would DARE by him a drink. He enjoyed his sprite quite well the whole rest of the night. She would not buy him food either - you know how drunk people are when they start coming down - HUNGRY. I don't know if I could have stayed mad as long as Susan did - amazing!! At certain points I was wondering if not too harsh. But I'm not the one who has had to deal with that over and over again. Thank goodness! And thank homebody hubby for not putting me through that - ever...

Going for the laugh

When do you cross the line? Apparently I did last night - whose expense?? My youngest... Does that make me a bully?

We were running late for jr. choir, she came downstairs wearing a skort (a mini skirt with shorts for any men who don't know what I'm talking about), white tights and black boots up to her knees - an intersting look for the middle of winter, but I pick my fights - whatever. No time to change...

So after choir (i'd already forgotten what she was wearing) she comes out and all the mom's I'm with do a double take - so I said "its a skort!" AHHH comes the response of understanding and one comment about her jacket almost being longer then the skort. Y says "Hey, I didn't wear it to school!!" (so far we're still ok)

and then I pipe up - "yeah, she wore the one that falls off to school". Appreciative laughter from the moms, I think I am oh so funny, until I hear "MOM!" and look down to see the hurt all over her face.

I fall all over myself in an attempt to apologize. And cut off all the mom's conversations by acknowledging how my daughter did not appreciate that comment and I'm sorry. Y accepted, but I pretty much wrecked her night. I was going to do the mom thing and tell her not to be so sensitive, but rather just kept my mouth shut and let her stew in peace.

By the time I tucked her in, it was all good. Close call though, I wouldn't want her to think I was a bully, cause that is exactly how I felt.

E and I enjoy a health banter of constant shots at each other (when the time is right). I'm sure that Y and I will enjoy the same - when the time is right.

OOPS

Ok, who can tell me how to delete my own comment, it wasn't working, blogspot said they had a problem, and now suddenly i've posted 4 times!!! LOL