Today, I have a six-year-old.

Today, Mr. Boo is six.

He’s pretty lucky he made it to six, as I was very close to killing him yesterday.

In the realm of baby-to-toddler-to-preschooler he seems like a Big Kid all of a sudden.  (Not a well-behaved Big Kid, but just a Big Kid.)

It didn’t stop him from having to give me another big hug and kiss last night when he went to bed, nor from being somewhat mesmerized by “Puff the Magic Dragon” which I got him for his birthday.  (“Dragons live forever?  When do they die?  What do you mean they Don’t?”)  I struggled with that purchase, assuming he’s been exposed to it, but he claims he hasn’t.  And Every child must learn to love Puff the Magic Dragon, even if I find it as sad as “Cats in the Cradle”.

I have a six year old.

Life is weird.

*****

We took part in this on Saturday night.

Other than the massive wind and the fact that I didn’t realize that one of the corners of the tent came undone from its stake, it actually was a great way to break in the tent.

I am All For camping this way.

All I’m sayin’.

*****

Morality test time!

The neighbors across the alley do not talk to us.  (Hell, half of our ‘neighbors’ don’t talk to us.  It’s Weird.)

The house was owned two owners previous (is there any less awkward way to put that?) by a Lovely couple who put in a very nice retaining wall along the alley with an area where they planted hostas and then put up a fence behind that.  The previous owner was a very nice single guy who really didn’t have much need for yard work in general.  (Who does?  ahem.)  So there were a couple of times that I took it upon myself to weed that area behind his fence, along the alley, so *I* didn’t have to look at the abundance of weeds.

The current owners (renters?  I swear I remember talking to a guy when the house finally sold and he was from New York and it was Not the people who currently live there.  Whatever.) have a pretty immaculate lawn/yard.  They split the hostas that line the steps to their front gate.  They’ve planted all kinds of things in the yard.

But the alley?

Is horrific.

And there are these lovely hostas that are being slowly taken over by weeds.

There’s also an area by their back gate along the alley, next to their neighbors, that’s totally overgrown with weeds.

Last year, I found a lovely hosta in amongst the weeds.

And took it and planted it in my garden.

And herein lies my moral dilemma (via the Long Way):

I have been plotting all summer, taking some of the little hostas that are being stunted by the weeds along the fence and splitting the large ones so that I can take care of the area by my driveway.

Which…………..Is wrong.  But we Never see these people and even if we do, can barely get them to look up and wave when we drive by.  I’m having a problem with walking up to their door and asking them if they mind if I do the above.

Yesterday, as I was looking in the spot where I took Last year’s hosta, I noticed some tell-tale leaves.  And in amongst a fledgling tree, a bunch of weeds and a big ol’ pile of weeds that they had obviously been pulled and thrown over the fence was another huge hosta.

Soooooo…I went and got my shovel and stealthily began digging it out and planting it next to my driveway.

Because if you’re not going to weed that area and are going to go as far as to throw weeds on top of the hosta, I’m thinking your not going to care if that hosta goes away.

Yes?  (And I did leave some of it, so I’m thinking it May grow back at some point.)

Does this make me a bad person?

And what do I do about the rest?

If I wasn’t too lazy to do the weeding in my own garden, I’d consider weeding the fence line, splitting the hostas along the fence line and take what I needed.

However, in the meantime, my garden is a disaster that I am, in fact, too lazy to address, go figure.

But it sure was easy to take those few hostas and get them next to my driveway so that I won’t have to weed That area in a few years…

*****

I’m sure there’s more, but that will cover it for now.

Must begin work and get together the shopping list for the Ba for the Pyrotechnic Extravaganza that is basically upon us.

I’m ready for it in May and then Totally forget about it come June.

Someday, I will turn in a hostess.

But I wouldn’t go around holding my breath or anything.

ak

GO!!!!

Go.

RIGHT. NOW.

 HERE.

And wish my Very Good Friend Lap a VERY HAPPY Milestone Birthday.

I won’t tell you how many, (as I’m not sure her position on such things, but if it’s any consolation, I would have pegged her to be exactly six years younger than she is today.  Fricken-fracken Very Good Friends.), but it’s a milestone and this coupled with being a Very Good Friend (who won’t be celebrating her milestone birthday today with myself or Logic, because we Suck), means that she needs Many, Many birthday wishes.

Happy Birthday, Very Good Friend Lap!!!

We shall celebrate You, SOON!

ak

addendum

Today’s post is below.

In an addendum to the whole google thing, I occasionally stick my name in there, but there are a hundred-gabillion of me out there, including an actress, a designer and a writer.  So there will never be anything interesting on Me.

However, for the heck of it, I threw out my maiden name (which I would have sworn I had done before, but given what I found, maybe not) and up came information on my dad.

The Papa Smurf who has been dead for ten years apparently has a bunch of articles from his teaching days that must have been recently placed online, as I truly don’t remember seeing anything them before. 

I realize, given that it’s the Information Age and all that, that this really isn’t remarkable.

But it is to me!!

And they’re on a website that’s a service of the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health!!!  Hoity-toity!!!!  And there are all these articles with crazy-ass words that I can’t pronounce or spell and it’s just a nice little reminder that makes me happy and proud in my odd, reminiscing day. 

And I had to share with someone other than Suzanne, who I’m sure thinks I’m nuts. (Not to mention, that I should get to work.) 

ak

Wallowing in the reminiscing

Well, this should be interesting.

I have next to nothing to say today.

Half the office and the rest of the Minneapple have taken today, in all it’s Minneapple glory, off of work.

Obviously, I am not one of them.

We do, however, have dinner plans at our DR traveling companions with the Miguel’s also joining.

Which is Good.  Except for the fact that I accepted the invitation assuming that The Mom was leaving yesterday or today.  Except that she had no intentions of leaving yesterday or today, but will be leaving tomorrow.

She finally went into the doctor yesterday after the folks at the hotel (and then me) told her she looked like hell (I told her she needed to go in for her cough) and it looks like all the salt ingested in Iceland caused her to have another mild case of congestive heart failure within the past ten days.

Which, now that I am past my post-partum crap/depression, I have finally put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Remember when The Mom and I were having Humongous issues a few years ago and I knew some of it was my hormones, but a Lot of it was her bat-shit craziness?

She got a little weird on Monday.  And hasn’t really been herself since.

I think that is when she had her congestive heart failure and that the lack of blood pumping through her system contributes to behavioral changes in her.  And back when I Knew that I was being all hormonal but Knew that she was being Insane, it was after she had her first congestive heart failure.

It doesn’t mean that I know how to handle it (nor whether I can point out that it’s contributing to some idiosyncracies in her behavior), but having something to put your finger on helps Tremendously.

Knowing that You’re not (entirely) bat-shit crazy is a Good Thing.

*****

I’ve been having odd dreams.

Last night it was about a boy from college.

A boy that I got a weird crush on at the end of my junior year and just kind of pursued as I was wont to do.  Not for anything permanent, as there was the Ba.  He never really Did get the fact that someone with a boyfriend would be so persistent in stalking him and was (totally rightfully) cautious and entertained by the whole thing.

I remember two things vividly…One was asking him if he’d tell his grandchildren about me, the chick who totally pursued him like a freak.  The other was when I called him to tell him that I was engaged.  His only comment (besides being incredulous) was “Do you love him?”.

He was a small boy.  He was a cute boy.

He was a smart boy.

And occasionally I have dreams about him, which I find interesting.

Except that it then brings up a few old boyfriends in my brain and that drives me nuts.

*****

So that puts me in an introspective mood, where I just want to go for a run, come home and sit in the front porch or outside (except the mosquitos just came out.  DAMN.  I HATE mosquitos.) and drink wine and listen to music that makes me all sad and reminiscent and pass out until the next day.  (The passing out is optional.  I’m not a fan of the next day hangover, hence the reason I’d prefer to limit the wallowing-reminiscing.)

Instead, I’ll throw out the occasional google (how the hell do you people find people when you google?  I can’t Ever find the people I’m looking for [except I do think I found the college boy and he's doing quite well for himself if I did, in fact, find the right one]) and try to bust out some work and will then head off for dinner.

I’d like to mention that I would really, really, Really love a week long vacation all by myself, and actually being at my house would be Just Fine.

/shrug

*****

I have to find myself a private little spot where I can type out exactly what I’m thinking and feeling so that I don’t have to pussyfoot around things in case anyone finds this spot.

Of course, that means that I would never have time to type here, so for the four of you that read here, no worries. 

I’m off to beat my memories into submission and get some work done so I can go gently into that good weekend.

ak

Separation anxiety sucks.

It started out beautifully sunny this morning and now it’s all cloudy.

I guess I should be happy that I’m up early enough to enjoy the sunshine, right glass-half-fullers?

Yes.  Still not working out at night, still getting up in the morning to walk.

And still enjoying it.  (Shitty tv notwithstanding.)

I’m now watching Wings.  Just to have Something with some form of continuity to it.

I used to love Wings.  (Or maybe it was just Stephen [Steven? Drat.] Weber.)

Because the last two days makes me think that it’s just Not That Funny.

I wish The 9ine didn’t get canceled.

Not that I could watch it at 5:30am, but it was a super-duper little show and Tim Daly was nice eye candy.

And with that, we’ll stop this monumental meandering.

*****

The Bitsy had Major separation anxiety at t-ball yesterday.

To the point that I had to sit in the grass twenty feet from her while she was working on catching.  And stand behind the fence behind the plate while she was batting.  So she wouldn’t hyperventilate.

Hoping that it will only take two weeks for her to get comfortable with the situation, as that wasn’t exactly pleasant.

But she did hit the ball twice, so that’s a good thing.

*****

Had a little chat with Mr. Boo last night and suggested the positive reinforcement/bribery (Yes, Ms. L, [my very favorite teacher of all time that I will never get the opportunity to send my urchins to], I see it for what it is and that does not make it any worse than spanking if it works!) and he seems to think that it might just be a nifty idea.

Threw it out using a baseball analogy, and if he was a good boy for soccer practice, he would get a run.  Still have to work out the logistics of dayschool and whether it’s a full week that will advance a batter and how many runs will results in getting to choose a ‘package’.

It seemed to pique his little interest, so we will need to hammer out some details, but hopefully we’ll get this headstrong little boy back on track again.

*****

This morning officially turned into summer.

The BoDeans went into the CD player in the car castle.

Just what the doctor ordered, methinks.

Now it’s time to see when they’re coming back, and to check on the upcoming Little River Band concert to see if I can drag Suzanne for a girl’s night.

I’m so old.

*****

Dagnabbit.

It’s her birthday.  Next. Week.  (Along with two other friends and a couple of anniversaries.)

And there just seems to be so much stuff going on that I can’t find time to make plans to help her celebrate!!!

LOGIC!!!!  Is it too late to think about a visit/celebration next Tuesday?  If so I will contact the Ba immediately and tell him he is on soccer duty and we’ll make it happen.  If not, let’s see what we can fit into our schedules so that we can celebrate Lap and wine and Jasmine Deli and females and laughter.

And I also have to get a date with Show-girl in there, too.

Man, I have to get the urchins out of activities so that my social life isn’t so impeded! 

*****

Ok.

Must go do stuff.

I’m quite thrilled it’s almost Friday.

All I’m sayin’.

ak

Come here to give advice!

You little readers are so darned Helpful!  I appreciate all the chiming in about birthday parties.  I certainly see both sides of the coin, but I really don’t believe it’s damaging for them to Not have birthday parties.  Now as they get older and the numbers go down and can be confined to slumber parties/bowling parties (although that is what Mr. Boo wants this year and limiting it to no more than ten seems fine to me) I don’t think I’ll have a problem with.

We’ll see.

*****

And now, since everyone has been so helpful so far, here’s today’s problem!  (Don’t you Love playing armchair psychologist????  Insert ‘Dr.’ before your name as you respond, please.) 

Mr. Boo went off the charts again last night at soccer practice.  Playing around, not listening to the coach, acting crazy.  I wanted to go and pull him out right there and then.  The Ba claimed he had never seen him like that and I bit my lip in commenting that he’d only taken him to practice once.  (He said it was three times.  I might be wrong and it might be twice.  ahem.)  I commented that he was like that every time I’ve taken him, but this seemed even worse than normal.

Afterwards, we were going to play in the park, but I just needed to make some kind of in-roads to try to manage this behavior, so I told him that as he had not behaved at all during practice, there would be no play-time.   And of course he threw a monumental fit.

We got home and I tried to have a conversation with him about how practice is important and if he’s not going to participate, then we won’t be playing soccer any more.  And he replied, “Fine.  I’ll quit now.”  /eyeroll.  NO, you will finish the season and Then you can quit.  We won’t sign you up next year.  “Fine.  I don’t want to play anything anyway.”

Fricken-fracken stubborn evil child.

I think I may have to go the route that the teacher at his school suggested in that postive reinforcement may be a better route to go with him than punishment.  Because it seems fairly apparent that Nothing along those lines is going to work with Mr. Boo.

She suggested a choice of three bags with a little Something (car, candy, etc.) in it that he can choose Only if he behaves appropriately would reinforce the positive behavior, as opposed to negatively reinforcing the bad behavior with punishments.

At this point, I’m certainly willing to give it a try because although he’s not the Best at sports, he’s definitely Good and I think would be a good player and teammate.  (If, of course, we can get him to be motivated about it.)

Thoughts?  Comments?  Advice?  How do you motivate a child to become a ‘team player’???

*****

Made it through the day yesterday.

Barely.

The headache came on right after my doctor appointment and the attempts to appease with food and ibuprofen didn’t work.  (Mr. Boo’s behavior didn’t help.)  It didn’t turn into a migraine, but it was certainly close.

Note to self:  NEVER AGAIN can we do anything but an 8am appointment for blood work.

I love my doctor.  I told her I’m not happy with my weight and she reminded me that I’m in the perfectly fine range and that women just gain weight after age 35.  She wanted to do another chest x-ray since I didn’t do one back in pneumonia-phase and when I told her it was because of our high deductable, she agreed to listen to my chest and agreed that we didn’t need to do another one just to check for scarring.  She said that I must be doing well with sunscreen use (hooray!) and I told her I tried, but it was early baby oil use that has done the most damage, methinks.

Overall, (we’ll see what my cholestoral and thyroid tests come back at), it appears that I will be around to drivel for a while longer.

Me and my continued early morning workouts thank you.

*****

You should see the vacation schedule around here for the next month.

Damn.

It never occurs to me to take time off until the time comes close and my darned co-workers see the opportunities and have probably had their vacation requests in for months.

Fricken-fracken.

*****

It is a picture-perfect day in the neighborhood.

And I get to leave at 3:15 to get the Bitsy to her first t-ball practice.

Which should be interesting, as I never received Anything confirming such a thing.

Hopefully, they will have record of her…or else I will have the next eight weeks of Wednesdays off early to bask in the sun of my yard. 

*****

That is all I have for today, since I will be vacating early.

Looking forward to more interesting stories and advice from all of you so that there will be no beatings of a soon-to-be-six-year-old. 

ak

Physicals Suck.

I am starting day three with no wine, have had no coffee and just water since dinner last night.

And I haven’t killed anyone!!

Physical today.  Wanted to get it scheduled so that it’s not four months late (why can’t they just keep everyone’s yearly physicals scheduled for the same day every year?  Why can’t fricken-fracken insurance companies understand that if you’re within a couple of Weeks of last year’s physical, you’re not trying to bilk the system in any way, but just trying to get a fricken-fracken appointment that fits your schedule within a six-month timeframe?!?!?

ahem.

I always forget when I schedule my physicals that I’m now doing blood work, which means fasting.  Which normally works when I schedule my 8-ish appointment, but does not work so well when I schedule the 11:30am appointment.

And I Never remember the fact that I can’t drink alcohol for 48 hours before.

Of course, as I fill out the 800-page questionnaire and it asks me how many drinks I consume each day and how many days a week and I’m always brutally honest and put 6 days a week (Although I am now often up to two glasses of maybe-even-less-than-4-ounces [no, Really.  I'm good that way.], but basically one glass of wine a day.  It’s funny how you feel somewhat guilty putting that down.  (Especially when the next question is “Do your friends or family think you drink too much?”  /eyeroll.)

I even got around to scheduling a toofer cleaning for the first time since ‘05.

So shoot me.

If these folks find anything else wrong with my teeth, I will probably switch dentists.  I realize that making that statement after I haven’t had my teeth cleaned for almost three years probably isn’t the best assessment, but I went 38 years with no cavities and once I switched to this dentist, I’ve miraculously had at least three cavities/’soft spots’ that have needed to be addressed.

You’re a dentist.  I don’t need a sales job from you.

I’m in need of Serious caffeine, food and alcohol. 

*****

I am back on the morning workout routine.

Last week when Mr. Boo had no school, I decided to squeeze in my workouts in the morning.

And oddly, I’m getting up fifteen minutes earlier (waking up without an alarm at 5:00am, go figure, getting up around 5:25), getting on the treadmill for a half hour and still managing to get everyone out the door at the same time, if not a few minutes early.

I’ve given up trying to do what I Want to do and am doing what works.  Which means I’m only walking and just a quick stretch afterwards.

But I am now remembering how much it can jumpstart your day.

With the exception that there is Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, on at that time of the morning.  Basic cable means one hundred stations of infomercials, horrific local news programming and even more horrific MTV.  Even VH1 plays the same videos every morning.  (Except I watched the new NKOB video this morning.  Um.  Yeah.  Didn’t get it then, don’t get it now.)

I have decided that I am a fogey enough that I spent time watching CMT videos so as not to be offended by anything else that’s ‘current’ in the video realm.  It is still true that as long as you are blonde and cute and sing about boys and Fords, you can have a country career.

Go figure.

So I’ve skipped the evening workouts, given the recent schedule, but am hoping that eventually, I’ll get back to the running at night and walking in the morning.

At least it’s Something.

*****

Back on the Issue train with The Mom, as she is Insistent that since Mr. Boo wants a bowling birthday party, that I’d better get one planned.

I can see doing a small, ten child or so, party, but certainly not before his birthay at this point.

I know I had the same melt-down around the Bitsy’s birthday, mainly because The Mom wouldn’t leave that alone, either.

She wanted a party.  Went on about it.  We didn’t have one.  Did we ever hear One Word or whine from her that she didn’t get a party?

No.

Honestly.  Does a child need a birthday party Every Year?  When they’re four/five/six???

Let me know if I’m doing it wrong…

*****

On Mr. Boo’s vacation from dayschool, the urchins and I went to see Kung Fu Panda.

Cute enough, but I must have something against Jack Black and Angelina Jolie.

Because it certainly was no Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, or The Incredibles.

I think I was spoiled for life by those.

*****

What else?

I am finally getting my shit together.

For many, many, Many years, the Ba basically took care of just about everything.  I did a Lot of sitting around and he cooked and cleaned and did just about everything.

Things have changed.

And I went through a period of being very, very, Very tired.

But I finally feel like I can take care of shit myself.

I did the planting, the wood-chipping, etc. of the garden.  I’m cleaning the house (minus an occasionally sweeping by the Ba.  Oh, and the dishes.  I still hate dishes.).  I’m doing the laundry.  I’m doing the lessons and games and all of that for the urchins.  And I got up this morning to water the plants.

The cleaning makes me bitch.  The driving to every little thing and urchin-care makes me bitch.

But it’s getting easier if I focus on the fact that I Am capable and self-sufficient and don’t need to sit around and wait for someone to take care of me.

I’m trying to use it more as empowerment, rather than an excuse to whine and bitch.

Go, me.

*****

There’s all kinds of little stuff that I could write about, but I just don’t feel like spending the next half hour on stuff that’s more drivel-y than normal.

Stuff like Mr. Boo Not scoring a goal last night and even spending his first two runs on the field going the Wrong direction, which he’s never done.  I’m hoping he’s tired, as I had to wake him up this morning and he’s usually up when I am.

Stuff like this company still continues to entertain me as the it struggles along.  And I think that Logic needs to make jewelry, Thor will do the website and I will do the leg-work to get retail locations and we will have our own handy-dandy little business like Bossie-poo and I used to have before he got the Mentor involved and they went entirely bat-shit crazy.

Stuff like I have to get the Pyrotechnic Extravaganza invites in the mail, as it’s That Time again and I’ve been Thinking about it, but doing Nothing.

Stuff like I waited and waited to get my driver’s license picture renewed because of, well, vanity, and once it came right down to it, I didn’t give a shit What my hair looked like.

See?

Isn’t this stuff Fascinating?

And on that note, time to get a bit more done before the poke-and-prod.

At least there’s Taco Bell on the horizon afterwards (But before I get my cholesterol test back that will make me swear off all of that kind of food.)

ak

Much rant-i-er than I expected

I’m going to have to quickly vocalize my disdain for creepy, comb-over, adulterer (Allegedly!), must-say-hello-to-every-stinkin-person-in-the-office-every-stinkin-morning accounting guy.

For most of the reasons listed above (focusing on the last one) and the fact that the man is over on our side Countless times a day to stick his hands into any and every treat/snack/whatever that might be in front of my desk or in the back room.

One of the accounting people brought a very smelly egg bake to celebrate her birthday, so I have been accosted by this thing (which, I’m sure would be good, if she seasoned it this time, as the last time it was a bunch of eggs and chiles baked into a bake of no flavor.  Oh, and cheese and sausage wouldn’t hurt, either, ahem.) and here comes accounting geek with the question that (in all reality is quite normal) I hate with a passion, “What’s This?  And Who Brought this???”

And, as per normal, I flipped and asked why he wasn’t paying attention to his email (Seriously.  What is it with people in an office setting who don’t pay attention to their email??  It’s like not people who call, get someone’s voicemail and call right back and say, “I asked for This person and all I got was voicemail.”  Hello, Stoopid?  Voicemails serves a purpose.  If the person is away from their desk, Leave. A. Message.)

But I digress.  You are not surprised.

Accounting geek returns with, “Well…it must have just been sent.”  No, geek, it was sent over a half hour ago.  “Well, I’ve been busy working.”

Uh-huh.

Whatever.

*****

One day of work, two days off.

Mr. Boo has no school until Thursday.  (Note to schools:  Parents can generally work around two days off for scheduled meetings.  Three days is Really pushing it.)

I got up at the normal time.  Didn’t walk the evil rat-mutt.  The Bitsy got up early.  Didn’t have to worry about getting Mr. Boo ready.

And I Still was late this morning.

Fricken-fracken.

Didn’t help that I needed gas.  And then forgot to leave the car seat.  (Even though the Ba thinks Mr. Boo is safer in the backseat of his car without one.  Sigh.)

I broke down and invited Mr. Boo’s best friend over either tomorrow or Wednesday for biking and the park.

And I may have misinterpreted, but the other mom is sharing ‘kid duties’ with another mom for the summer and she was saying that she might just drop everyone off and all the kids could play at the park.

Um.  Uh…

There are four of them.  The oldest being in fifth grade.

I got into a mini-debate with Miguel and the Ba last night, as 1.)  I did Not sign up for babysitting four extra kids.  2.)  I don’t know that I agree with kids being totally unsupervised.  They argued that there is nothing for them to get into trouble with, things have changed so much since they were kids, there are Five (five???) lifeguards at a very-much-declining beach, and there you go.

My thoughts are still that I will have to see how Mr. Boo is when he’s in fifth grade (although the brother of his friend will either be in third or fourth grade this year) and it’s his turf.  These kids don’t Know the village.

As you can tell, I’m a bit confused by the whole thing.

I’m hoping I’m misinterpreting and the mother will be hanging around, rather than doing the dump-and-run.

*****

The evil rat-mutt got his first ticket in a few years over the weekend.

The Ba, as per normal, left him outside with the standard, “Stay in the yard.”

*sigh*

If you were an evil rat-mutt and there were smells and people and corn dogs and gyros and corn and tacos and other Stuff, would You stay in the yard?

I finally made the Ba take the urchins to the police station to find him after he’d been gone for a couple of hours.

And now we find out that the village has the highest dog fines in the State.

$135.  ($55 of which we have a pass on once we spend a gabillion dollars to get his license and shots up to date.  *sigh*)

Yup.  They found him sitting down next to a table at the art festival.

He’s Such the public nuisance.

And we are, apparently, ratcheting up for Three more full-time policemen to make sure that stuff like Dogs At Large don’t put the public in peril.  (Please note that I am in agreement with the whole “Dog at Large” thing, and am pissed at the Ba for not putting him on his leash, and pissed at myself for knowing that the Ba would not put him on his leash and that I didn’t do it myself, but I was too busy cleaning the Entire Fucking House while the Ba took 25 minutes to go buy a Flag, ahem, but am Entirely over the fact that the worst ‘crime’ that the village faces is people not feeding their parking meters [including the new ones they installed on the public boat docks...thanks for visiting!!!] and the kids who loiter past 10pm and we have a fricken army of kiddie cops.)

Wow.

I’m worked up today.

Who knew?

*****

Ok.

It has occured to me that I only have today and should probably get as much done as I can, so it is time to get crackin’.

I certainly hope that the sudden change for the best in the weather will continue for the next two days.

As much as I love clouds and cool, a bit of sunshine here and there keeps other people from going postal.

ak

2nd Post: I iz funnee.

Scene:  Office.  Everyone but me in Vegas post-op meeting.  (whew.)

Phone rings.

Me:  Blah, blah, etiquette-answering.

Phone Guy:  Hello.  I’m calling from the customer service department for your copier.

Me:  Hi!  Can you tell me what kind of copier I have?

Phone Guy:  No.  But I’m sure you’re going to tell me.

Me:  As a matter a fact, I’m not.  But thanks for calling!

Click. 

End Scene.

(I’m debating whether it’s better than the time a girl called asking what kind of printer we had and I said, “Ya know, we don’t Have a printer!”  She had No idea how to respond.  Damn.  I need a Show, people!!!!) 

Of graduations and first boyfriends

I think that all four of you who read this here diary-thingy on a consistent basis should write about your first boyfriend/girlfriend.  (Meaning the pre-school/kindergarten/early grades kind.)

I find it totally adorable that we all seem to remember that one person and how we were Totally going to get married.  (Before we knew what that actually entailed.)

Get to it!

*****

I am absolutely craving morel mushrooms.

*****

I got an email from SIL#2 yesterday with a picture of the nephew.

In his cap and gown.

From his graduation.

From.

Preschool.

I’m certain that I’m totally overreacting, but I’m going to stop short of the rant that my co-workers, with children graduating from high school, have had to listen to.  Over and over again.

Honestly.

*****

Bossie-poo made an interesting comment yesterday about the article that most of us have read about employers having to be creative with their employees, with the price of gas and the state of the economy, and the fact that we won’t be seeing raises any time soon.

He actually threw out the four day work week.

Which, quite honestly, does Not work in a small company.  Especially one where there is No way that one can work from home.  There’s no way for people to get into our system from home.

But, as I said then, and stick to now, the first five people that are going to jump all over this are going to be the five people who have No Right working a four-day work week, seeing as how they barely put in four days of work during a Five day work week.  And I Promise that these people will not be putting in their 40 hours Before they take that extra day off.

The rest of us feel Way too guilty about those people who really Can’t take time off (ie Elise, who is generally here until 6:00 every night since no one else will stay for UPS or FedEx pick-up and she’s Always here well before 8:00am.) and so it’s a totally sucky proposition that shouldn’t have been brought up in the first place.

I am wondering if I’ll start leaving early on those nice boating afternoons to take advantage of both the offer and the weather.

Considering there is no such thing as summer, I don’t think I’m going to need to worry about it at this point.

*****

Mr. Boo’s teacher was not as thrilled with the ‘punishment’ ideas for Mr. Boo.

She’s entrenched in the ‘rewarding positive behavior’ camp.

Which does make sense.  And as I think about it more, Mr. Boo Does like Stuff.

We played Chutes & Ladders and Candyland last night and had a discussion (Again) about the situation at school.

I tried the route that ‘You want to know what will happen if you do what you’re supposed to and ignore the teasing and poking and walk away and tell a teacher?  Your friends are going to get MAD.’  This seemed to peak his interest.  I told him that I wanted him to do that and then Watch his friends and see what happened.  Would they get mad?  Would they pick on someone else?  (Then I need to go help That friend!  Noooo, I think that everyone should learn to handle their Own situation, don’t you?)  Would they try harder to get you to react?  Would they finally stop?

He seemed rather fascinated by this little experiment, so I’m hoping for some good conversation regarding this.

*****

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my little readers?

Especially her?

Never underestimate the power of a sense of humor in adversity.

(And check the comments if you need additional reassurance.  As if.)

I want Jasmine 26 on the calendar!!!!

And I want graduation stories!

That don’t involve pre-schoolers!!

*****

That will do it for now.

There is work to be done, gray skies to watch and minutes to count down till the weekend. 

The village art festival this weekend, so we will have the Toy-girl family over for artsy stuff, corn dogs, gyros and pork chops on sticks and wines to go with each.

Now if I can just get my house cleaned first…

Happy Weekend!

ak