Thursday, June 12, 2008
LAWN CARE AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
Ok...so big daddy is coming home on Saturday. At least that's what we think is the plan..unless they offer big piles of money to stay a few more days...I'm becoming Mr. Crabbs. And not a moment to soon either...I've been on a quest to get some shit done around here so Mikey won't think I've been spending all of his hard earned money on playing around...although we have some and he knew it...anyway, I took my kids to meet my sis-in-law last Friday so I could work. She's been a great help. As I was leaving the drop site my check engine light comes on...go figure. Although little outback seemed to be holding her own even with the light on I haven't driven it since I left the Autozone where they hooked it up to the computer thing and told me it was a knock sensor. Swell..part only costs about $70...not bad. Entire intake manifold has to be disassembled to get to it...Haynes manual lays it all out nice and neat...this=BIG PAIN IN THE ASS..for a guy who is coming home the day before Father's day with his own kids 100 miles away at my parents house..which is where they are going this weekend because my niece has a softball tourney that could take 6 hours...that=NO FUN FOR KIDDIES.
So, I call a local garage in town and they say that if I bring the part they will install it for about $80. Seems worth the money to me. The appt. is tomorrow morning. Hope they don't find anything else wrong.
The other big thing is the lawn. It's long. Well parts of it. I had the bright idea that it would be grand if I just jumped on the rider and mowed so that he could spend his day with us...no worries. I have never been on a riding lawn mower ever before. Our yard is big and not flat...even the parts that look flat...aren't. I've never been so scared in my life. I talked myself into this for 2 days. Then when I got on and all systems were go....the blades wouldn't turn. Preston had to tell me to pull the red button. Swell...starting to mow..then notice warning label that says the thing will tip over on any incline exceeding 15 degrees....HAVE YOU SEEN MY YARD??!! Well, I'm still here...that's the good news...bad news...yard not all the way mowed. I did what I felt comfy with which was the big L-shape on the far side of the garage, the front flat part (not the bank by the road), and 1 swipe down the back property line by the woods...NEVER AGAIN!!! I felt like I needed a crash helmet, a seat belt and a roll cage! I'm like 10 times more likely to fix my own car than ever getting on a mower again.
My intention was to just push mow the rest, which would have been fine if that mower would have kept running for more than 2 minutes. Yes, it has gas. I think I broke it. What a happy father's day he'll have...poor guy. I was only trying to help. I've probably made him more work. I'll just have to shower and shave my legs and hope my period steers clear for a few extra days. Maybe even attempt a porn star quality hummer complete with red lipstick....ugh.
Tim Allen said it best in some old stand up routine entitled "Men are Pigs". Men are good for two things...LAWN CARE AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. The rest of it all seems to be going ok for us. We miss him. I hate single parenting.
My proud parenting moment of the week was this morning when I was rinsing my 20yr old niece's hair and my 7yr old daughter was reading Ashleigh's latest text message out loud of course...and Avery says "he said I love you too...with only one 'O'"...now this was dripping with 7yr old attitude and an Olympic award winning eye roll...as of course even a soon to be 2nd grader and not that long ago 1st grader knows that you spell too meaning also with two O's. She's a girl genius.
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So, I call a local garage in town and they say that if I bring the part they will install it for about $80. Seems worth the money to me. The appt. is tomorrow morning. Hope they don't find anything else wrong.
The other big thing is the lawn. It's long. Well parts of it. I had the bright idea that it would be grand if I just jumped on the rider and mowed so that he could spend his day with us...no worries. I have never been on a riding lawn mower ever before. Our yard is big and not flat...even the parts that look flat...aren't. I've never been so scared in my life. I talked myself into this for 2 days. Then when I got on and all systems were go....the blades wouldn't turn. Preston had to tell me to pull the red button. Swell...starting to mow..then notice warning label that says the thing will tip over on any incline exceeding 15 degrees....HAVE YOU SEEN MY YARD??!! Well, I'm still here...that's the good news...bad news...yard not all the way mowed. I did what I felt comfy with which was the big L-shape on the far side of the garage, the front flat part (not the bank by the road), and 1 swipe down the back property line by the woods...NEVER AGAIN!!! I felt like I needed a crash helmet, a seat belt and a roll cage! I'm like 10 times more likely to fix my own car than ever getting on a mower again.
My intention was to just push mow the rest, which would have been fine if that mower would have kept running for more than 2 minutes. Yes, it has gas. I think I broke it. What a happy father's day he'll have...poor guy. I was only trying to help. I've probably made him more work. I'll just have to shower and shave my legs and hope my period steers clear for a few extra days. Maybe even attempt a porn star quality hummer complete with red lipstick....ugh.
Tim Allen said it best in some old stand up routine entitled "Men are Pigs". Men are good for two things...LAWN CARE AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. The rest of it all seems to be going ok for us. We miss him. I hate single parenting.
My proud parenting moment of the week was this morning when I was rinsing my 20yr old niece's hair and my 7yr old daughter was reading Ashleigh's latest text message out loud of course...and Avery says "he said I love you too...with only one 'O'"...now this was dripping with 7yr old attitude and an Olympic award winning eye roll...as of course even a soon to be 2nd grader and not that long ago 1st grader knows that you spell too meaning also with two O's. She's a girl genius.
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Friday, June 06, 2008
Colorado Rocky Mountain High
Yes, it is true...that is Mike, my husband and now worldly traveler, and those are in fact THE Rocky Mountains....note..we are NOT in the pic. We are still in fact nestled into the Hocking Hills Region. Although beautiful, is clearly not in the same league. Deer in our yard simply can't compete with having to stop the car for an ELK. Not just any elk, but a big bull elk that he says is way bigger than my car. My husband believes he is in fact living inside of the Discovery Channel.
He has been in a suburb of Denver...yes Colorado..for, well it went something like this....
3:00pm Friday, May 16--on his way home from Polaris and he says they asked him to go out of town. I say "Where?". He says "Denver". I say "Colorado?!". He says "Yes". I say "What did you tell them?" He says "I told them to Fuck Off!". I say "Really??!!" He says "What you want me to go??!!" I say "Why not? The kids are in the last bits of school and what a great opportunity!"
**note--this conversation was via the nextel two-way as is most of our heart to hearts.**
5:00pm Friday, May 16--We have email conformation of flight arrangements and hotel info.
5:30pm Friday, May 16--Racing to Walmart to buy a carry-on and various 3oz or less toiletries that will fit into a quart size ziploc.
8:30pm Friday, May 16--Taking kids to Zanesville to meet my dad and Gram. Thank goodness they answered the frantic phone call from yours truly.
1:00am Saturday, May 17--trying to sleep
3:00am Alarm goes off.
3:45am leave to go pick up Fred, Mike's brother, I'm all dressed and ready for work. Be glad none of you were in my book....who needs sleep?
4:30am Meet Mike's boss in the parking lot of the McDonald's at the airport. He was the one in the big old Denali parked back by the dumpsters with a wad of cash to give the fellas for per diem. I was laughing until I cried over the whole stereotype...
5:00am Dropped off the guys at the airport and hit the closest Waffle House for some coffee....and a pecan waffle with some scattered, covered, smothered hash browns..YUM!
So, this was not only their first time to Denver but also their fist time on a plane. They loved it! They were scheduled for a week initially but, the time was extended for a few more days....it goes something like...there 10 days, home 2 days, back for 2 weeks. Tomorrow will be one week into the 2 week leg of the trip.
We are doing fine. I'm a resourceful woman as you all know and we are all coping just fine. I haven't had to make dinner for nearly a month! I made the kids some grilled pbj's instead of grilled cheese and cut up some watermelon and they thought I was some kind of gourmet chef!! Go Figure!
His sprint/nextel phone gets good service there so we have really talked more in the past few weeks than we have in a year. And that my friends is NO SHIT! He's a man of few words as you all know but, he does love his cell. We were at the ball field and out of my purse comes the words..."35 yards from a MOOSE...A MOOSE!!!" He is so cute. He is also feeling like he is very small and the world is very big. I'm so glad he's been given this opportunity. What a way to put a stimulus payment to good use.
They are bidding on an interior of the restaurant next door. If they get the bid this could go on for most of the summer. Jury's still out on that one...
Time will tell...and he brought us back cool t-shirts!
He now thinks he is as worldly as Donald Trump...I have taken to calling him "The Mike".
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Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Long Overdue....
Hello. I can't believe that the last time I blogged was in September! My how time flies! We are all doing well...after a few minor glitches....hope this finds you all well. Hell, for that matter I hope you still check this from time to time.
I went to a color class at the salon today. It was awesome. I got my own hair done and it is FABULOUS!! Makes me want to work more. I was able to go there from 10am to 2:30pm and still made it to Dill's for a quick lap and also went careening through the Tim Horton's drive thru for a brownie iced capp supreme....yummy! I heard some new TK on the drive home....PERFECT! And managed to throw some potatoes in the oven and some pork chops on the grill...dinner served at 5:00pm on the dot....HEAR ME ROAR!!
Avery learned how to ride her bike with no training wheels last week. She is amazing! We've been doing laps at the track at the fairgrounds after dinner in the evenings. The kids did 6 laps on the inside dirt track...while I managed 3 on foot. I even ran some of one lap.......WITH NO ONE CHASING ME......AND NO KID BLEEDING PROFUSELY.....AND NO TWINKIE DANGLING JUST OUT OF REACH......I CONTINUE TO AMAZE....
The kids are playing baseball again this spring/summer. I can't believe how fast the time goes. They are getting so big!
I've been trying to revamp my work out routine...not that I have much of one. I am trying to add more cardio trying to lose some of this middle that I have to much of. I got a 5lb hula hoop which is fun and seems to work well...we'll see...Avery and I do our hooping together which she thinks is great. Little girlfriend can hula hoop forever! I still like to do Gilad and I could crack walnuts with these thighs after doing squats for an hour....think I need to speed up the heart rate which should help speed up the metabolism. One day I hope to run one whole lap. We stopped smoking altogether on New Year's. I guess I'll just keep plugging along and see how it goes. Sounds good in theory anyway.
Mike is just back to work this week after being off for a week and a half because of a peritonsilicular absess. Don't know much about the spelling there but he had an absess behind his tonsil. Caused a bunch of swelling....like his uvula was the size of a globe grape...no shit....his entire soft palate was swollen. He was hours away from being admitted to the hospital...so says the ENT...that we finally saw after 2 urgent cares, 2 family docs, and a trip to the OSU ER...and about $350 in copays and meds before the bills start rolling in. WOO HOO. I was so scared. His throat was horrible. The ENT had to lance the absess...YUCK...but he was feeling better within 2 hours and continued to improve over the next couple of days. The guys he works with all donated an hour of their pay so that he would get some kind of pay check this week. We are very thankful for that.
I started a recycling center in my kitchen. "Lean and Green" is my new motto. I feel so empowered every time I load up the stuff to take to the center. Preston and Avery love to go there..."we're saving our world" is what they say each and every time we go. How cute is that?? The place is just down the road from me and all of the dumpsters are lined up and clearly labeled so the kids get some extra reading without knowing it..bonus. And let's face it, it only really inconveniences me...and it's only about a 1/2 mile jog out of the way but takes me directly past the thrift store...again...bonus.
I am going to try to keep this a little more current. I said try....xoxo
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I went to a color class at the salon today. It was awesome. I got my own hair done and it is FABULOUS!! Makes me want to work more. I was able to go there from 10am to 2:30pm and still made it to Dill's for a quick lap and also went careening through the Tim Horton's drive thru for a brownie iced capp supreme....yummy! I heard some new TK on the drive home....PERFECT! And managed to throw some potatoes in the oven and some pork chops on the grill...dinner served at 5:00pm on the dot....HEAR ME ROAR!!
Avery learned how to ride her bike with no training wheels last week. She is amazing! We've been doing laps at the track at the fairgrounds after dinner in the evenings. The kids did 6 laps on the inside dirt track...while I managed 3 on foot. I even ran some of one lap.......WITH NO ONE CHASING ME......AND NO KID BLEEDING PROFUSELY.....AND NO TWINKIE DANGLING JUST OUT OF REACH......I CONTINUE TO AMAZE....
The kids are playing baseball again this spring/summer. I can't believe how fast the time goes. They are getting so big!
I've been trying to revamp my work out routine...not that I have much of one. I am trying to add more cardio trying to lose some of this middle that I have to much of. I got a 5lb hula hoop which is fun and seems to work well...we'll see...Avery and I do our hooping together which she thinks is great. Little girlfriend can hula hoop forever! I still like to do Gilad and I could crack walnuts with these thighs after doing squats for an hour....think I need to speed up the heart rate which should help speed up the metabolism. One day I hope to run one whole lap. We stopped smoking altogether on New Year's. I guess I'll just keep plugging along and see how it goes. Sounds good in theory anyway.
Mike is just back to work this week after being off for a week and a half because of a peritonsilicular absess. Don't know much about the spelling there but he had an absess behind his tonsil. Caused a bunch of swelling....like his uvula was the size of a globe grape...no shit....his entire soft palate was swollen. He was hours away from being admitted to the hospital...so says the ENT...that we finally saw after 2 urgent cares, 2 family docs, and a trip to the OSU ER...and about $350 in copays and meds before the bills start rolling in. WOO HOO. I was so scared. His throat was horrible. The ENT had to lance the absess...YUCK...but he was feeling better within 2 hours and continued to improve over the next couple of days. The guys he works with all donated an hour of their pay so that he would get some kind of pay check this week. We are very thankful for that.
I started a recycling center in my kitchen. "Lean and Green" is my new motto. I feel so empowered every time I load up the stuff to take to the center. Preston and Avery love to go there..."we're saving our world" is what they say each and every time we go. How cute is that?? The place is just down the road from me and all of the dumpsters are lined up and clearly labeled so the kids get some extra reading without knowing it..bonus. And let's face it, it only really inconveniences me...and it's only about a 1/2 mile jog out of the way but takes me directly past the thrift store...again...bonus.
I am going to try to keep this a little more current. I said try....xoxo
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Thursday, September 06, 2007
I Have NOT Fallen Off The Face Of The Earth
Well...school is back in session...there's a start...
Here are a list of things that I have been dealing with lately...
1. School started
2. Market day sale is Tues.
3. Car still not fixed...Big Daddy doesn't want to fix it...$$$$
4. Toby in 10 days
5. Almost got ripped off on an internet scam concerning a new car
6. Thank you Melanie for helping with that!!!!!!!!
7. Good news...we do have some $$ to buy a different cause God knows we can't
afford something new
8. Money's not really enough to get anything very nice
9. At least Heike bailed us out and let me borrow her little Festiva...thanks again
10. My kids are both doing well in school this year.
11. Next week is fair week...wish I had a car to go home
12. Failing miserably at the WW lately as we all know I'm a stress eater
13. Today is a day of sulking and self pity...wish you all were here
14. Glad I'm not pms-ing
15. 10 days to Toby
16. I miss you all, always...but today a lot
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Here are a list of things that I have been dealing with lately...
1. School started
2. Market day sale is Tues.
3. Car still not fixed...Big Daddy doesn't want to fix it...$$$$
4. Toby in 10 days
5. Almost got ripped off on an internet scam concerning a new car
6. Thank you Melanie for helping with that!!!!!!!!
7. Good news...we do have some $$ to buy a different cause God knows we can't
afford something new
8. Money's not really enough to get anything very nice
9. At least Heike bailed us out and let me borrow her little Festiva...thanks again
10. My kids are both doing well in school this year.
11. Next week is fair week...wish I had a car to go home
12. Failing miserably at the WW lately as we all know I'm a stress eater
13. Today is a day of sulking and self pity...wish you all were here
14. Glad I'm not pms-ing
15. 10 days to Toby
16. I miss you all, always...but today a lot
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Saturday, April 28, 2007
Wow! What a busy week......
Let me start by saying WOW! Let's start with last Saturday when I got to style my first transvestite's hair....full of extensions! I was completely speechless. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life...sporting the most beautiful set of boobs that money could buy.....and I'm pretty sure she didn't want to hear anything about our school's book fair!
I am 99.9% sure that body started life with a penis...she was so over the top with everything she did and said that I will have to recap it on the phone to get the full effect. As it is there are no words to describe it. She was the single most magnificent creature I've ever laid eyes on as well as the most horrifying. VERY BIZARRE....even for the village......"Where'zz zee fire, babay??" Yikes!
On to the next big event which occurred on Tuesday while I was out at school to do our Market Day sale. I made the art teacher cry! YIPPEE FOR ME...I AM INTIMIDATING!!
It went down like this....
D: Went to get markers for a 3yr old...holding her hand at time of event.
T: I can't do this right now!!! (at this point I have said nothing)
D: Um, just looking for some markers for Gracie.
T: Can you wait until the change of class???!!!(using loud obnoxious voice)
D: No big, I'll go to Avery's classroom and get some.
At this point I walk over to the door where my happy helpers are busy unloading the truck. Then I hear this particular teacher telling the kindergarten teacher who was picking up her class that this was her JOB and that SHE wasn't a BABYSITTER (one could hear the eewwyness dripping from her voice). I listened in for a about another second to make sure I was hearing myself being talked about and then I poked my head around the door and said...
D: I don't recall asking for a babysitter! (dripping venom)
T: You don't underSTAND....this is my JOB!!!
At this point I'm walking back down the hall away from her...still with 3yr old in tow...I spun around on my heel and said...
D: NO! I don't think YOU understand that EVERY HOUR I SPEND IN THIS BUILDING IS DONE FOR FREE!!
And I continued down the hall and ran into little girls' mom and I quickly explained that this teacher was not a babysitter and that I was going to look for markers elsewhere. My blood was boiling. I didn't have a chance to say anything...a babysitter...ha!
So she cornered the mother in the teachers lounge and was all sobbing and chin quivering...full on drama! I am a powerhouse and people fear me! Yea!
Apparently the kindergarten class was reeking total havoc in the art room...and she was having a "really bad day". Ok, I get bad days...just don't try to put words into my mouth...I have plenty there already. So she asks me if I ever have a bad day.....who me??..."excrutiatingly pleasant girl"??....I said...mmmm, not very often.(in a very flip and bored tone) What a bitch I am!!
And the week ended with good interim reports and today on my way home from the salon some dude in an SUV looked over and mouthed the words..."YOU LOOK GOOD!" I gave him a big smile and a thumbs up and said to self.."ALRIGHT!! MAMA'S STILL GOT IT!!"
I am the most obnoxious person I know.
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I am 99.9% sure that body started life with a penis...she was so over the top with everything she did and said that I will have to recap it on the phone to get the full effect. As it is there are no words to describe it. She was the single most magnificent creature I've ever laid eyes on as well as the most horrifying. VERY BIZARRE....even for the village......"Where'zz zee fire, babay??" Yikes!
On to the next big event which occurred on Tuesday while I was out at school to do our Market Day sale. I made the art teacher cry! YIPPEE FOR ME...I AM INTIMIDATING!!
It went down like this....
D: Went to get markers for a 3yr old...holding her hand at time of event.
T: I can't do this right now!!! (at this point I have said nothing)
D: Um, just looking for some markers for Gracie.
T: Can you wait until the change of class???!!!(using loud obnoxious voice)
D: No big, I'll go to Avery's classroom and get some.
At this point I walk over to the door where my happy helpers are busy unloading the truck. Then I hear this particular teacher telling the kindergarten teacher who was picking up her class that this was her JOB and that SHE wasn't a BABYSITTER (one could hear the eewwyness dripping from her voice). I listened in for a about another second to make sure I was hearing myself being talked about and then I poked my head around the door and said...
D: I don't recall asking for a babysitter! (dripping venom)
T: You don't underSTAND....this is my JOB!!!
At this point I'm walking back down the hall away from her...still with 3yr old in tow...I spun around on my heel and said...
D: NO! I don't think YOU understand that EVERY HOUR I SPEND IN THIS BUILDING IS DONE FOR FREE!!
And I continued down the hall and ran into little girls' mom and I quickly explained that this teacher was not a babysitter and that I was going to look for markers elsewhere. My blood was boiling. I didn't have a chance to say anything...a babysitter...ha!
So she cornered the mother in the teachers lounge and was all sobbing and chin quivering...full on drama! I am a powerhouse and people fear me! Yea!
Apparently the kindergarten class was reeking total havoc in the art room...and she was having a "really bad day". Ok, I get bad days...just don't try to put words into my mouth...I have plenty there already. So she asks me if I ever have a bad day.....who me??..."excrutiatingly pleasant girl"??....I said...mmmm, not very often.(in a very flip and bored tone) What a bitch I am!!
And the week ended with good interim reports and today on my way home from the salon some dude in an SUV looked over and mouthed the words..."YOU LOOK GOOD!" I gave him a big smile and a thumbs up and said to self.."ALRIGHT!! MAMA'S STILL GOT IT!!"
I am the most obnoxious person I know.
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Monday, April 02, 2007
A Tribute.....
....to all things Outlandish. Here is a picture of the window I did last fall. It happened to be on the same roll of film as Bambi. Lucky for me. I am currently working my way through Breath of Snow and Ashes for the 2nd time. I love it. I love them. They make me happy.
My wipers are FINALLY fixed. Hooray! Bring on the rain!
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Friday, March 23, 2007
Welcome to my world.....
So the other day we were playing baseball when out of the woods and across the street who should come to play with us?? None other than Bambi himself! I ran for Mike and the camera as the kids were watching him. By the time I got back outside they were petting him! The deer licked Preston on the cheek! We were all so excited. How awesome!
This little deer is probably coming up on his first year. He has some small button antlers showing through. This was our best pic as I didn't know at the time that he was going to stay and play for an hour! He played with the dog and everything. This deer has been with people from an early age obviously. He has no idea that he is a deer and that he should snort and run from humans. After being all stoked up from playing reindeer games with the dog, he tried to mount me. I will admit this was a first even for me!! I guess mama's still got it!
He even pooped in the yard much to the children's delight. Nothing validates a good story by pictures and poop! Needless to say we were all over the moon!!
We will continue to keep an eye out for him. We will have to be especially careful in the fall as this deer could become very dangerous when the rutting season begins. Which is when he will become a hormone crazed lunatic who is not afraid of humans.
We've been seeing him at the neighbor's house since last fall. My theory is that someone shot his mother during last year's season and then felt bad and tried to help this little fella. Heike assures me that he would have been ok on his own at that point without the homo sapien interference.
Oh, well, we loved our hour with Bambi! It was once again one of the best days of my life.
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