HOW???

How do most new parents do this???

We’re expecting the third snowstorm in three weeks.

It has barely made it to 50 degrees so far this year.

And I just found out that not only did we miss registration of soccer for spring by a week, but also Little League by TWO MONTHS.

We’ve already missed three, count ‘em THREE clinics.

How the Hell were we supposed to know that such things existed and where to find them and what the fricken-fracken schedule would be???

Equipment handout is Next Week.

How do other parents do this and know how to do this???

Are we that inept that we have no other friends with children to help give us a head’s up?

/SNORT

A whole bunch of drivel

My alarm goes off at 5:20am.  I get up at 5:46am.  (Yes, really.)  I get in to work at approximately 8:15am.

It takes me two and a half hours from the time I roll out of bed to get to my desk.

That is bat-shit crazy.

*****

I neglected to mention that ‘nothing says Easter like 4″-8″ of snow’.

Also, ‘nothing says April like 5″-8″ of snow’.

There’s a pattern here.

One that I’m really not happy with At. All.

*****

Ethics time!

As we were walking into the club for swimming lessons last night, I found a one hundred dollar bill in the gutter.

I thought it was fake, but no.

I immediately took it to the front desk.  Where the person working freaked out and ‘didn’t even want to touch it’.   And…that was it.

I walked over and told the Ba, who immediately said, “Of course you had to turn it in.”  Which…karmakarmakarmakarmakarma has now been running through my brain non-stop.

But.

So has ‘finders/keepers’.

Which means, If no one realizes that someone may have found their money and really has no idea where they may have lost it in the first place…

Who gets the money???

I was expecting to give my name and number when I handed it off to the chickie behind the counter, but she didn’t seem to think that was part of the plan.

Am I being Really…what’s the word I’m looking for?

So I fretted and stewed and finally at just before 8:00 last night, I called the club to give them my name and number.  I was even coherent about the fact that I would call back later in the week (maybe stop by next Sunday) and if no one claimed it, I wanted it.

Is that so bad?

The Ba thinks I’m nuts and that the little chickie behind the counter pocketed that bill before I got around the corner to take the urchins to the pool.

But this is Minnesota.  Where people still turn in loose cash they find.

Of course, they want it Back if no one claims it.

But is that so wrong???

*****
We went to the Maul (TM that NYC traveler) to take the urchins to the renamed Camp Snoopy.

Lord.

We didn’t get there early enough.

I’m fairly certain we did not get our money’s worth out of the thirty dollar wristbands.  (Thirty Bucks?  Damn.  I’m going to Disneyworld.)

The very first ride took a half hour.  Because the teenage neandrethal running the ride had No sense of urgency (which seemed to be the MO at all of the rides) and took his sweet time letting the seven kids in, walking around to buckle each one in and lock the door, walking to lock the exit door, then finally turning on the ride.

Unlike Disneyworld (Which I am beginning to think about planning for October), which granted, I haven’t been to for ten years, all the parents I saw looked…borderline suicidal.  Not angry, not bored…something past that.

A place where your children are still having a great time should Not cause parents to go mental.

I knew that I was not a fan of the Maul, but I have to say that until the Bits is ready to actually Shop, I probably won’t go there again without a fight.

Bleh.

*****

I swam and swam and swam yesterday.

And sat in the sauna and the steam room and the hot tub.  (The steam room was pretty cool with a high concentration of eucalyptus piped in.)

But today I am in more need (on top of the previous need) of a massage.

However, I am very much liking the swimming aspect of the workout.  I probably only swam a half hour total out of the hour we were there, but it was all good.  Good in a different way than running is.  But I’m not nearly as achy (achey?) as I am after running.

Which is probably best for this old body.

*****

Time to start cleaning off the piles upon piles on my desk.

And watching the snow.

And dealing with the co-workers who live too far away begin the ‘it’s going to take me three days to get home’ complaining.

Hurrah.

ak

Minnesotans are weird

It’s 47 degrees, feeling like 43 with the wind.

And we just got back from the park.

Where there were tons of families out.  Some in sweatshirts and tennis shoes, some in winter coats and boots.

There’s still some snow and lots and lots of puddles.

The urchins are out playing in their sandbox.

I just don’t think that in most places it hits mid to upper 40’s and folks think it’s Spring.

*****

Most people were reasonably dressed for the park in the not-quite-warm weather.

Except two women who either weren’t prepared to end up with the children (theirs?) who were appropriately dressed.  One woman had on cropped jeans and some form of flat shoe with no socks.  The other woman would have looked darling in, say, May.  However, with a chilly wind and in those ridiculous pebbles that are now prevalent to keep our children ’safe’ on playgrounds, she looked a little silly with her tight capris and heels.  (Hence the reason that I’m not sure the children were actually Hers.  We all know that moms don’t dress like that.  Unless the nanny is taking care of the children.  heh.)

*****

Swimming lessons resume today.

And I actually found a Speedo tankini at Sam’s, so I’m going to venture into the pool to do some laps while the urchins swim.

Even managed the hair-scraping ritual yesterday.

Which should hold me until spring.

Unless I decide to make this swimming thing a somewhat permanent part of my relatively non-existant workout schedule.

*****
Doing laundry.  My Sunday chore. 

Looks like I will be re-washing the Bitsy’s coat, as she and Mr. Boo are insistent upon playing in the muck that is surrounding the sandbox.

I should also be cleaning up the den, which is littered with horses, car carriers, hot wheels tracks and evil rat-mutt hair.  And the urchins’ room.  Which is littered with more miscellaneous crap than that.  And the basement.  Which isn’t as bad as it’s been for the past couple months, but could certainly use a cleaning.

I think I may blow those things off to read more Magic Treehouse stories to the urchins.

Anything to get out of work is good for me.

*****

So with that, I go to hit Something…

ak

Impatience

What the Hell is it today with everyone being so damned impatient???

I had a higher up at the stone supplier emailing both the QA guy and me for information on items he is interested in.  And we both basically ignored him, as there’s nothing more worthless than spending your day pricing things for someone who is going to hopefully net you ten percent on one item.

So yesterday, I got bugged by the CFO to take care of this guy, so I did.  And then he sent me two additional pictures of items he wanted to know if we carried.

Which we didn’t.

And then he came back with ‘Ok.  I bought this pendant last year.  What do you have in pendants that lay flat?’

Which I promptly exploded about and then more promptly ignored.

Because, truthfully?  We have a couple hundred pendants in our line.  And you really want me to drop what I am doing for PAYING CUSTOMERS in order to find something for you that we’ve already figured out we Don’t carry?

This morning, I receive the following:  I talked to my sales department and marketing director to finalize this so that I don’t have to keep bothering you.  If you can give me the cost for gold and labor on a 1ct and or 1.5ct white gold 3 stone pendant I will be able to finish this up.

Which was kind of the last straw, so I responded with the following:  I’m sorry for the delay (which was Totally not true and goes against Suzanne’s rule to Never apologize)…I have a few pressing things that I have to get off of my desk and then I will be able to pull together pictures for you.

And then I get this:  No rush.  I know that I’ve been a pain.

THEN WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CONTINUING TO BUG ME WITH GETTING IT TAKEN CARE OF?!?!?!?!?

ahem.

It’s a personal.  Both of our companies have bigger fish to fry.  Please understand that you are not asking for something Simple, that I will be able to quickly get information on.  It will require stopping everything that I’m doing to Hope that you may like one thing that it takes me a half hour to put together.  (Or fifteen minutes.  Because that’s all the harder I’m willing to look.)

Grrrr.

*****
Then, I have the ’sales director’ who is stalking me to do more business with their company (even though they will now only sell to us using COD or a credit card).

I sent an email this morning.

He answered.

Then a half hour later, he called.

I told him I would get back to him.  (After I dealt with annoying person #1 above.)

I did.

Fifteen minutes later he came back with an email.

Fifteen minutes after he didn’t hear from me, he called Again.

Some people must Really have nothing better to do today.

Grrrr, redux.

Always following the cool kids

There ya go.

I have nothing to say today, but since everyone else seems to think that it’s the best thing since sliced bread, I have succumbed yet again to the peer pressure and plugged into twitter.

I know that you are smart enough to figure out how to find me.

Happy weekend!

ak

Bye Chikezie! Y’all come back soon, hear?

Well, thank goodness the voting and minor fanaticism over AI is done for the season.

I think I made it longer than last year.  But I really fell off the bandwagon last year, and can really remember so very little of the entire season.  Which is actually just fine.

I’m crabby that I forgot that result shows are on at 8, though.  I really must get my schedule together and start forcing myself back on the treadmill.  And force the urchins to bed before 9:00.

Mr. Boo kept asking me who was going home.  And when I would tell him what was going to happen (because Really.  If you’ve watched AI, you now Exactly what’s going to go down each and every elimination show) and then he got mad and told me I had to Stop reading the internet and had to Stop telling him what was going to happen!!!    Funny little boy.

I’m still very sad.

But now I can go back to watching and not having a vested interest in who actually wins.

That’s really the Best way to watch.

Good luck, Chikezie!!!!  I think you rock and hope to see you back plugging some form of album in a couple of years!!!

*****

After almost two months of non-stop John Denver, I have made the move to The Little River Band.

I didn’t realize until I put the CD on yesterday how long they were actually around.  I have memories spanning about four years from their music.

I told the urchins this morning that when I was in sixth grade, or about twelve years old, this song (Lonesome Loser) was my Very Favorite Song.  (And then it just occured to me that was fricken-fracken Thirty Years Ago.  *sigh*)

And then I realized that Night Owls sparked memories of the first boyfriend in high school.  And that hit me as weird, as I didn’t really think of them being around that long.

Music is funny stuff.

*****
And, my final music-related comment for today…Reading Time magazine this morning (and I think I’ve finally made up my mind to throw away all of my 2007 magazines that I realistically Will Not get around to reading at this point, hurrah for the small victories) and there was a stat that 49% of teens did Not buy a CD last year.

Forty. Nine. Percent.

Teens.

Not One CD.

That’s pretty amazing when you think back (there are no youngsters reading this, right?) to buying albums and CD’s and the like.  (Not that I ever was a big consumer.  I was perfectly content to be lemming-ed by what the radio would make me believe was the best music out there.) 

But still.

Now, granted, those whippersnappers are all buying online and someone should really compare dollars spent on music in general, not whether it’s a physical CD or thirteen songs online.

Stupid music industry.

*****

So.  It’s Thursday.  And there’s no AI and no Lost.

Whatever am I going to do with myself???

I would prefer to get on the treadmill, but I’m thinking that I will be pulled into the new nightly ritual (thanks to the birthday present from the favorite SIL) of playing Pretty, Pretty Princess.

I think we’ve finally gotten past the point of Mr. Boo fixating on the crown and doing everything in his power (including cheating) to make sure he Always has the crown.  Silly boy.

That, and reading to those darned urchins.

Mr. Boo is generally pretty good at listening to stories.  (I wish he’d get going and learn to read, dagnabbit!)  The Bits?  Not so much.

She’ll pick out books for me but as soon as I sit down to read to her, she’ll get up and grab another book and start paging through that.  Kind of frustrating.

Did I mention that Mr. Boo is all signed up for Chinese Immersion kindergarten next year?

I was talking to another mom whose daughter is in Spanish immersion this year and they actually got her a tutor for her English (or was it some of the additional Spanish?  Now I’ve forgotten).  Which, once I actually gave it some thought this morning, I realized is kind of on the bat-shit crazy side of things.

It either means that they have no time of their own to invest in helping her with things or that they are still some of those ‘My child must have every advantage to succeed over every other child on the planet!’ parents.

Because, Really?

It’s Kindergarten.

We have the Bits all signed up for her kindergarten screening in a couple of weeks.

All of this is just crazy, I tell you.

*****

That’s gonna have to be it for now.

Back to work and mourning Chikezie.

But reveling in the extra time ahead, hurrah!

ak

Stay Chikezie!!!!

So much going on.  So much to chatter about.  So much work to do.

So you know what gets moved to the bottom of the list…

The Bitsy’s birthday was a smashing success.  We had jumping excitement ala Christmas over the Swiffer Wet Jet that the Bunka got her, the princess underwear (which also has days of the week on the waistbands…we’re having quite the time with that!), the princess watch (which has mysteriously disappeared, of course), the princess stickers (1000 that we found by accident and which Mr. Boo declared to be ‘So. Perfect.’) and little to no reaction over the princess bike other than immediately running to it and riding it around the basement.

The Easter celebration went well (other than the company potatoes [that's cheesy hashbrowns to you] that never fricken fracken cooked, as I used a different recipe this year that only called for 30-45 minutes of cooking after mixing with heated ‘wet’ ingredients) and after another meltdown with The Mom where she insisted that I could Not have ham and not do a sit-down dinner.  For fourteen.  In a house that really can’t seat fourteen.

But we worked it out and we sat everyone and I think that The Mom is finally starting to Get It and we’re going to be able to work through things and get along much better.  This makes me happy.

*****

The only other slight issue with Easter was the nephew who got snapped at by the evil rat-mutt.

The evil rat-mutt will only snap when someone steps on him or does something pretty bad to him.  He’s evil, but only in the aspect of peeing and pooing in the house and eating pastries inadvertantly left out on the counter.  (Which the Ba does, too, so why would I get so mad at the evil rat-mutt?)

After everyone left, I was wondering to The Mom about what in Heaven’s name the nephew had done to instigate the evil rat-mutt to snap at his face.  Because Seriously, other than having barking fits, he’s pretty laid back.

And in walks my brother-in-law to retrieve something the nephew had left behind.

The Mom is Worthless at covering, so I have No idea what he heard me saying and then The Mom tried to smooth it over by saying we were so concerned that the evil rat-mutt had snapped, to which the BIL responded that he figured the nephew had done something to make it happen (the feral cat also scratched his hand, so…enough said) but still.  Highly. Uncomfortable.

Damn mouth.

*****

Easter was a panic.

When we went to the big ol’ toy store to get the bike for the Bits, The Mom had to occupy the urchins while I paid for and stowed aforementioned bike in the car castle.  In that time, Mr. Boo found something he Had to have.

A Pink Barbie guitar.

Really?

So I suggested that maybe we head to the boy section to see if there was a Non pink version of said guitar.

Nope.

No such beast.  (However, after watching AI last night, I know that they existed 15 years ago, as I believe both David C and Jason each had one.  ahem.)

So.  The Mom informed the fabulous SIL who managed to secure not one, not two, but Three of said Pink Barbie guitars for the cousins.

Bitsy?  No jumping, but somewhat excited. 

Mr. Boo?  You would have thought he was sixteen and got a new Mustang in the driveway.

Nephew?

I don’t want a PINK guitar!!!!!!

heh.

Once he saw Mr. Boo and the Bits rocking out, he then had to have his opened and joined in.  The subsequent rock band was pretty hysterical to watch.

Mr. Boo used the attached headset/microphone (nice touch!) to announce dinner, prayer and various other aspects of the evening on Monday.

It’s classic.

And pink.

*****

Now.

On to Idol chat.  (Anyone other than Lap are welcome to skip this part.) 

I. Love. Chikezie.

To the point that I voted again this week.

Everyone else likes him too.  But they won’t vote for him.  So I feel that it’s my duty, given that as of last night I have officially given up on my dear Ramielle.

Again, he’s not going to win.

But someone at TWoP nailed the reasoning for me:  I’m always excited as to what he’s going to do.

Exactly.

He, out of Anyone on that show (other than possibly Carly, who really Does have range but No charisma) does Not have a box. 

David C.?  Rocker Box.  David A.?  Tween box.  Jason and Brooke?  Coffeehouse box.  Syesha and Carly?  Belter box.

But my little Chikezie?  He has been the Only one to prove that he can go from fricken-fracken hoedown to Luther.  And do it Well!  I wish we’d stop with the ‘ballads=boring’.  (Although it Is true.  As is the AI rule of ‘better to be Bad than Boring.)

There is the slightest possibility that we will have our first Shocking(!) elimination tonight.

But I doubt it.

I think my little Chikezie will go.

And I’ve decided that I would actually buy an album that he put out as long as it is not confined to the restraints of the R&B/Luther (because he’s black, donchaknow?) box.  I don’t know that I could do a full-on country album, but something with some bluegrass influences?

He’s just so doggone charming, in a way that Ruben (even being a big ol’ teddy bear) couldn’t be.

And we need a few more weeks to discover and hone those skills.

*****

For the record:  It will come down to a David final (unless Brooke pulls a surprise) and we’ll just have to see if the masses can overpower the tween vote.

*****

Getting sucked into Dancing, too.

Because truthfully?  Jason and Mario?

MROW.

MROW!

!

And Shannon, who annoys me enormously for no particular reason, has legs up to There, and Priscilla, with her super-scary ‘just-say-no-to-plastic-surgery’ face is Still a poster child for grandmas everywhere with her grace and Kristy and Marlee make me want to Cry they’re so good.

That show puts a big ol’ smile on my face and warms the little cockles of my heart.

We need more of that on tv.

*****

And on that note, it’s time to get back to the stacks of work.

IF my dear little Chikezie makes it through tonight, I’m going to ask you to throw some votes his way next week, as the Davids Certainly don’t need them.  (Interesting note that David C. actually overtook David A. this week on dialidol.  Interesting, indeed.  The tweeners are slacking.) 

ak

Nothing says “St. Patrick’s Day” like 4″-5″ of snow

I knew we were supposed to get snow, but 4-5″?

And I realize that March means More snow in the Nortland.

But Really?

There’s just something Not Right about snow on St. Patrick’s Day.

*****

I’m crabby this morning.

I seem to be crabby most of the time, but this is just Not Good.

I had a little to-do with The Mom on Saturday.

We had planned on leaving at 10am to take the urchins to do craft projects at Michael’s.  However, I like to futz on Saturday’s, so when The Mom called at some time prior to 10am and said she had better get going, I told her there was no rush and I hadn’t even gotten into the shower yet.  So I thought we were good to just ‘wing it’.

We finally got into the car at 11:10 (whoops.  Later than I thought it was.) and she made a comment on how she was going to have to have lunch (because of the hypoglycemia, donchaknow?) because She thought we were leaving at 10.

And I lost it.

And she came right back at me because it wasn’t Criticism, it was an Opinion.  And I told her that NO, it was her tone and the Way that she said it and I was sick of her passive-aggressive behavior.  And she came back with the fact that *I* needed to get over the fact that I never grew up and never learned to stop taking everything she said as criticism and that I need to Grow. Up.

And at that point, I realized there was no way that I was going to get her to see my point, and while I do understand her point, I have come to realize that (in me being her daughter and all that) I used to have an ‘opinion’ on everything and finally got slapped by enough people for being a Snit, that I tried to temper my Always Having To Have An Opinion.  It’s not always the best way to deal with other people.

And Mr. Boo wondered why we had to yell at each other (Yes, I was awesome enough to have this melt-down as we were getting into the car.) and The Mom wondered whether we could ‘get past this’, to which I of course responded, Of Course.

Because it’s all about letting go.

For the record, the ‘anger management’ book that I’m reading is Way too psychological and I’m not quite sure that I’m ready for the psychological self-evaluation and work that it seems to want to make me do.  I’m pretty sure that’s why I was never that interested in psychology in school, either.  I like the concepts, but when you start throwing around Freud and Kant and this study and that study…It turns into boring stuff rather than interesting stuff.

But maybe that’s just me.

It has occured to me (again) to focus on the fact that where I am now did Not occur overnight.  Nor will it be fixed overnight.

Hmmm.

And you know how I am about the whole ‘patience’ thing.

bleh.

*****
We took the urchins to the auto show yesterday.  (really?)

Of course, the Ba found His new car.  The Audi S5.

Which prompted The Mom to throw a mini-fit, wondering why he would spend $60K on a sports car, rather than less on a more reasonable ‘family car’.  Especially while I was focusing on spending as little as possible while still getting a reasonable sized car/suv with decent gas mileage.

It’s hard to explain that he is pretty inflexible when it comes to stuff like that, as he is the ‘major breadwinner’ and therefore, since he makes the most money, he can spend it any way he chooses.

Fun!

I actually am not That thrilled with the new Expedition, mainly because although you know how I love my Big car castle, there does come a point where $52K and 13mpg seems a bit silly.

I actually really liked the Passat/Jetta wagon (really?  I won’t do a mini-van but will do a station wagon.  Go figure.) and the Toyota Highlander.

I’m not going to sweat it, since I probably won’t see new car for at least another year and who knows What they’ll come up with at that point.

But at least it wore the urchins out to the point that the Bitsy fell asleep on the couch somewhere around 5:30 and I woke her up at 7:00 this morning.  (And she took a ‘nap’ on the way in.  So says she.) 

Good enough.

*****

I suppose I’d better get some stuff done, so that will have to do for today.

I think I’d like it better if I had a bottle of green food coloring and could just go make areas of snow green.

I’ll have to keep that in mind for Next year.

ak

Hooray for Friday!

I’m quite happy and pleased to announce that the Bits is betrothed.

One of my more favorite moms of one of my more favorite boys informed her that he wants to get married.  And since he can’t marry his aunt or his sister, he has decided upon the Bits.

Awesome.

(hee!)

*****

It was such a nifty morning.

The Bits scored major brownie points by holding the door open this morning for the principal of Mr. Boo’s elementary school.  She was quite impressed.  (Along with the Bitsy’s candy-striped leggings.)

At least One of the urchins is chivalrous. 

We’ll continue to work on both of them.

*****

I managed to put the urchins to bed almost an hour before they’ve been going to be as of late.  (The Bits is my night owl, as Mr. Boo will generally put himself to bed between 8-8:30.  The Bits will fight to stay up until 9:00.)

But I need my workout and I need to watch Lost in peace (not to mention not subjecting my underaged urchins to questionable programming already in their short little lives).

So I made sure they were in bed by 7:50.

And for some odd reason, they slept in until 6:45 this morning.

When they go to bed later, they get up sometimes an hour earlier.

Someone figure out the equation for that one, because it makes No sense to my little mind.

*****

Hmm…  It’s Friday.  It’s been lovely and warm and spring-like and there is only the smallest crust of ice left in one section of my driveway for the first time in Months.   Not just Seeming like months, but actual Months, as nothing ever seemed to melt this year.

The snow has been melting on the lake, so there are these large pools of water all over the top of the ice.  The urchins and I were talking about it on the way home yesterday and we decided that no one would be out there driving around anymore.

Until I went to take the garbage out and saw this pickup truck pretending it was in a tv commercial blazing across the ice with a huge wake behind it.  I have the feeling that this person had no idea the water would be that deep, because I think they were driving so fast so they wouldn’t get stuck/submerged.

People like that make me feel So smart.  (Um.  Except I just looked at what I just typed and unlike normal, noticed that I had typed ‘fell’.  God needs to stop forcing me to be so humble.) 

*****

I keep thinking there should be more, but there just isn’t.

Gotta make it through the day, deal with The Mom’s arrival, the niece’s play tonight, adventure day with the urchins and The Mom tomorrow, and how the heck I’m going to find a princess bike for the Bitsy’s birthday on Wednesday, along with planning all the food for Easter.

I’d better stop all of that and just focus on making it through today.

That’s manageable.

ak

Fricken-fracken Idol

Wow.

So very much to ramble on about.

I totally neglected to comment on the performance of AI for me.  I have to give some serious thought to others, but really…

Chikeze!

Really??!?!?

It was quite possibly the most awesome, unexpected thing I have ever seen from a ‘talent show’.

I reserve the right to wait until his next performance before I jump on the bandwagon, however.  I think he has a great voice, but not ‘outstanding’.  He may be changing my view.

Moving on.

I am, of course, in mourning today.

Damn cute blondes.  With stoopid fan bases.

I refuse to get too worked up about it, as there was no way David was going to win, but of all the contestants, he had the biggest chance for improvement and development over the course of the next couple of weeks. 

And because you know how I am about voting.

Just as in the regular election, if you don’t vote, you don’t get to bitch (too much) about the results.  I had checked dialidol Tuesday night and saw that he was a serious contender for going home, but wondered whether my couple hundred votes would really make Any form of difference.  Obviously, I decided Not.

Doesn’t mean I can’t be crabby and sad about it, though.

So many little boxes this year.  They’ve Really done their homework making sure that every hmmm, genre? No.  Umm…I just don’t know what word I’m looking for.  But every contestant fits quite nicely into a little box and there aren’t many (if Any) crossovers.

Unlike last year, I’m finding it quite enjoyable to watch, however, as there is such variety, rather than just big voices trying to Mariah and Whitney their way through every song.

Again, the reason that I’m really very much through Ramiele.

Yes, she’s boring.

But damn if you can’t just close your eyes and appreciate every single clear note that comes out of that little package and realize that your blood pressure doesn’t have to go up or your heart start palpitating because of the runs.

I like Liking most of the contestants this year, without getting too emotionally involved.

Nifty.

*****

The Ba leaves today for a quick trip and will be back Saturday.  The Mom arrives tomorrow.  (I debated and debated and finally decided to tell the Ba that The Mom would be there when he got back Saturday.  We’ll see if he comes home.)

I’m already having to deal with whether I take everything she says as criticism (her favorite comment to me when I become exasperated with her), as she sent an email about our taking the Ba out for dinner for his birthday last night.  Mr. Boo suggested we take him to Buffalo Wild Wings, which the Ba likes and the urchins like, so…  The Ba suggested a new restaurant, but I Really dislike being guinea pigs for new, not cheap, restaurants.  However, I told him we would go wherever he wanted.  And we ended up at BW3.

To which The Mom mails, “You should have taken him to that new Irish pub!”

Which….isn’t exactly criticism, but Come On!  The fact that we did Anything is, I think, points in my favor.  WHY would you come back with a comment that I feel slaps me for not doing something ‘better’?

*sigh*

Bleh.

*****

I was happy to see from finally making a quick trip over here (/waves!) that I can do some entries that I really don’t want any of you to see by protecting them. Nifty! There is a remote chance that, if I know you (or know you Here), I might offer up the password. I preface this, however, as these won’t be pretty, funny (really? How deluded am I?) entries, but more spilling and alot of angst and bitching about my current state. So I would not necessarily suggest it. All I’m sayin’.

And I’m sad to see, from a trip here that there is trouble a-brewin’.  You have such skills as a parent and such a grand support network that you will remain strong through this little blip of a trial and tribulation in life.  Sending good thoughts your way.  (And Really.  Isn’t it time for our yearly get-together?????)

ahem.

(ps–I’m getting to you shortly. Saw some animal pics and couldn’t figure out where you were! Now that I know, I’ll be back soon! And see above about the yearly get-together…)

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There’s another whole post on the whole hoo-haw over Spitzer and the ‘we must Make news by focusing on the scorned wife’.

That is going to have to wait, however.

ak