Memorial Day for Beginners

I got this image off of Dmarks' Throwaway blog.  I just found it really touching and good reminder to be respectful of the real meaning of Memorial Day.

I also saw this in the WikiHow widget on my homepage and thought I'd include it:  "How to Observe Memorial Day Weekend".

Mine is not a military family, which probably contributes to the fact that I sometimes put the whole thing out of my mind.  I do know of many kids locally who have entered the military, but so far, none that I know have lost their lives.  I couldn't be more grateful for how little any of what is going on now or what has gone on in the past, has affected me on the deepest personal level.  But really, it affects us all. 

I know it is a complicated issue and I don't have all of the understanding that I should.  Bringing things down to basics, to me, war is never the answer.  None of us should be asking people to die for us.  But just because I am against war, don't mistake that for being against the men and women who serve.  I support and respect them for doing what they do everyday. 

Honestly, this is a Monday off for me and I love having a day off.  I am going out to have a nice lunch with my family.  But I appreciate the fact that this year a lot of reminders were placed in my path about the real meaning of Memorial Day. 

This Musical Message is For It's Real, This Pain You Feel

You're Starting Conversations

It is a beautiful Saturday and I am at work.  Still, I do get two days off after this, so yay for Memorial Day! 

Are you ready to see my things that be BROKE?  Thanks to NoRegrets for choosing this week's word.  So, here we goes...

Miss Personality with her injury.  Her arm wasn't exactly BROKEn, but rather there was a vertical crack at the elbow.  She just had to have it wrapped and in a sling for about three weeks.  Didn't slow her down much, although she looks a bit put out here.  And everyone is filthy :-)

The TP holder in my bathroom has not, in fact, BROKE.  But, as I complain about on Twitter from time to time (don't ask me why), my children have not learned the basic skill of putting a fresh roll of TP on the dispenser and this is what I will tend to find.  I guess they figure if it ain't BROKE, don't fix it?

The Prom left us BROKE and that's no joke!  Well, it kind of is...we managed :-)    

I just like this photo.  I call it Girlie Girl and The Pips. 

Hope you are all having an awesome long weekend and I hope that some of you will show me what you BROKE.  Come on, I want to seeeeeee!  Also want to see who NoRegrets will tag next.  Thanks!

Friday 5 - In the Mood

I'm having a nice, quiet Friday off work so I thought I'd do a little Friday 5 to pass some time.  This one is about moods, which seems like a natural fit for me, as my moods are certainly moody!  And it goes a little something like this...

1.What puts you in a creative mood?  I'm not saying I'm NOT creative, but I do seem to need a push towards making the effort.  Most of my creative work is done when my job calls for me to be creative.  I also become creative when required to distract or entertain small children.  

2. What puts you in a silly mood?  Doesn't take much to get me there!  I am a silly person with a silly sense of humor.  Sometimes the oddest things will just tickle me and I'm off and away on a very ridiculous tear.

3. What puts you in a contemplative mood? Again, doesn't take much to get me deep inside my own head, contemplating.  Being alone, certain songs, too much quiet time, too much in-my-face time, movies and books.  I am willing to ponder anything.

4. What puts you in a competitive mood?  I don't think I am very competitive usually.  Well...that isn't quite true.  It is more that I am not confident in my abilities in so many ways.  Therefore, I tend to take myself out of the running and assume that I won't do so well.  Not one of my qualities I'm more proud of.

5. If you’d call yourself a talkative person, what puts you in a quiet mood? If you’d call yourself a quiet person, what puts you in a talkative mood?  I would call myself a quiet person.  What usually puts me in a more talkative mood is nerves or excitement.  In that case, I'm wound up, so watch me go.  Of course, none of the talk makes that much sense or is terribly well thought out.  But sure, I can become quite the chatterbox.

I hope you are all in a great mood for this upcoming long weekend.  I have to work tomorrow, but I'm still feeling good about having Monday off.

Please don't forget to stop in tomorrow for Saturday Scavenger Shots.  This BROKE ass bitch be playin', yo.

I'm Ready For the Real Thing, But Nobody's Selling

It is definitely a Wednesday today...so that definitely means Choose and Defend.  First, however, a bit of housekeeping.   Last night was the season finale of Dancing with the Stars.  None of your ponies won this race.  First time since I've been playing this game that has happened!  Ah well...we can play again in the Fall or whenever they start their kajillionth season next time :-D

Now...on to Choose and Defend!  Last week, I asked you about your favorite 80s movie teen, boy edition.  This week, I didn't have any more stunning ideas so I thought - why not favorite 80s teen, girl edition?  And so that is what we shall do!  Who will you Choose?

Baby

Or

Watts

I guess it might be kind of weird that I didn't put a Molly Ringwald character in here, but these are two interesting and very different characters, so I thought they'd be fun!  Are you having fun?  Nevermind...no need to answer that.  Just Choose and Defend!  Thanks, buddies.

Prom 1979

I thought I'd write a little post about my own prom, as my daughter's (and the season in general) got me thinking about it.  There isn't a great deal to say about it.  I used to do "people I've known" haikus here and HERE is the one I wrote about my prom date. 

First, let me say that I loved high school.  I had many wonderful friends, got good grades, and participated in a number of fun and enriching activities.  But I was definitely a late bloomer.  When most of my friends were up to all kinds of things with their boyfriends, I was just having little crushes on cute guys that I could never imagine leading to anything else.  Had my first kiss at 15, with a boy on a bus after a choir concert.  Didn't have my first real boyfriend until the summer between my Junior and Senior year.  Didn't have sex until I was almost 18 and had started college.  None of these things are terribly out of the ordinary or super late occurances.  But I was just running a little behind for that particular time and place. 

So, my prom.  I hadn't had any particular interest in going, but my Junior year I somehow won tickets in a math contest.  Very odd because I am not good at math.  Anyway, I had tickets, so I decided to ask a boy I'd had a crush on for quite some time.  His name was Chris and we had a lot of classes together.  We were friends.  I cornered him one day after his volleyball practice and asked him if he'd go with me.  I swear, the rubbery smell of sneakers that have been scraping on the gym floor still makes me thing of him :-)  I was so happy when he said yes.

One thing about my prom that was very different from my daughter's is that we didn't go in huge groups.  We went with one other couple...the guy (who would in a few months be that fabled first real boyfriend) and his date gave Chris and I a ride.  The prom itself was fun.  I know lots of people have strong feelings about it...it was awful or it was magical.  Mine was fun.  I was with a friend, he was a sweet, smart, funny guy.  He didn't like me the way I liked him, but that wasn't tragic to me.  I had the hope of youth on my side :-)  I was going to post a picture of us, but I couldn't fine one!  I have my mom on the case and if she finds my prom picture I will post it.  I can tell you that my dress and hair and general demeaner were much plainer than my daughter's.  Part of that was the era, of course, but part of it was just me. 

I actually saw Chris a few years ago.  My marriage was just ending and he was just beginning a relationship with someone.  We had lunch together and it was wonderful to talk with him.  We've since lost touch.  I guess, though, what I'd say to him if we saw each other today is - Thanks for going to the prom with me and being such a kind and lovely young man. 

Maybe I give things too much importance, but I tend to feel that my earliest "romantic" relationships are what have allowed me to remain healthy and optimistic in my attitudes about love and people in general.  I had a pretty long marriage that, while it definitely had good moments, was not particularly healthy or good...but I do feel like my early knowledge of kindness and goodness  helped me not to become all hopeless and bitter.

As a side note, I did find some other great photos.  I will definitely have to share those, too.

Did you go to your prom?  Did you not go?  Care to tell us a little about it?  Your comments are welcomed and encouraged!

Prom 2011

Some of you may have already seen these photos on Facebook, but I had to blog them as well.  Girlie Girl looked so beautiful and happy going off to prom with her friends.  She was one of the princesses and found that very funny.  She didn't win Prom Queen, but I know she pretty much rules the school, so I don't think she was too disappointed.

Girlie Girl and her two best friends.  They have been an item since their Freshman year.  GREAT kids.

Hard to get the whole group in.  I think they had 44 kids in their group.  And a huge party bus to get them where they needed to go.  They all looked maaahhhvelous.

Girlie Girl and her date, D.  They aren't dating, just friends.  Don't they look sweet?

Prom Princess and devoted Auntie.  It was cute...Miss Personality kept asking where the ring was...she was pretty sure she was at a wedding.  She was also fascinated by the corsages.

 

Me and my darling daughter.

It was a lot of fun taking pictures and seeing the kids off.  I always feel sort of in awe when I see Girlie Girl with her people.  She's very popular and outgoing, which she certainly doesn't get from me!  haha!

She got in very late, so we didn't talk right away, but when I talked to her yesterday she told me she'd had a great time, although the actual dance was her least favorite part...she liked before and after the most.  Seems like a lot would be different between my prom (1979, Junior year) and hers...and some things are.  But some things never change.  More on that tomorrow.

This Musical Message is For the Reason

I Will Not Control Myself

Time for some Saturday Scavenger Shots!  This week's word, VEGETABLE, was chosen by the lovely Ms. Tara @ Eclectic  Spaghetti.  Thank you, Tara!  Tara will also choose someone to choose next week's word.  So Saturday is full of choices :-)  And here are my choices of photos for the word VEGETABLE. 

There are canned VEGETABLEs.  I ♥ corn and beans, 2 starchy VEGETABLEs :-D

Here are some fresh VEGETABLEs.  There are carrots, snap peas, celery, and grape tomatoes, which are botanical fruits, but tend to fall in with the 

VEGETABLE group a lot.

Would my singing lobster like to hop in a pot of boiling water and be eaten alongside a nice VEGETABLE entree?  No thank you.  He just wants to sing Hot, Hot, Hot.  What does this really have to do with the word VEGETABLE?  Nothing, but I really like my lobster.  Except when Lady Bug and Little Prince get ahold of him and make him sing for what seems like hours and hours, wearing my brain down to a VEGETABLE state.

I hope you enjoyed or at least tolerated my VEGETABLE photos.  Thanks for trying :-)  Now, I must get on with the day.  Taking Handsome Lad birthday shopping and staying out of Girlie Girl's way as she prepares for her prom tonight.  Have a great weekend all y'all!!!

My Baby's Birthday

I canNOT believe that my baby Daniel Handsome Lad is turning 14 today!  He graduates from Middle School in a couple of weeks and on to high school.  As always he will be greeted by many people who knew his three brothers and his sister...and they won't know what to expect :-) 

Here is a picture of Handsome Lad when he was just a little fellow...maybe four or so.
 My sweet baby :-)

As the youngest of five he has had a different set of privileges and problems than his older siblings.  It is disconcerting in some ways how well he gets on with older kids and adults...and at the same time, in many ways he seems younger to me than his brothers did at 14...probably because I am not comparing him to a 2 year old sibling :-)  It is typical.  The baby does stay a baby in mama's mind!



Here is Handsome Lad yesterday, driving his dad's truck out in the desert.  Not old enough to drive, of course, but there he is.  Still my sweet baby, I like to think...


I look forward to seeing what the next few years bring Handsome Lad's way.  I know high school will challenge him...hopefully in a good way.  I know he'll keep trying different activities until he finds the ones that really suit him.  He is fine young man and I'm so proud of him.  Happy Birthday Handsome Lad!

The Sun...Even More Beautiful

Hi Wednesday and all who accompany it!  Time for some old timey Choose and Defend Wednesday up in here.  Today I thought I ask you about something a little different.  No food!  Instead, please tell me who your favorite 80's movie teen is...

Ferris Bueller

OR

Marty McFly

Now, I know there are many other 80s teens out there.  But surely these are two of the most recognizable.  And they are also pretty different types of characters - both male, of course...maybe if you'd like we can do girls another time!  Well, not do girls...but you know...

So now, please Choose your favorite and go on to Defend your choice.  It's what we do here.  Thx.  :-D

Oh Random, There You Are!

This week is looking ree-dick.  Too many sick call ins on the job.  Too many activities to cover, beyond just making sure the desk is staffed.  But of course this too shall pass.  It will be next week before I know it. 

Looking forward to Handsome Lad's birthday on Friday.  We are planning a family dinner at Golden Dragon that evening and also a family lunch at Peppertree on Sunday.  We gonna celebrate the bejeebers out of 14.

Saturday is Girlie Girl's prom and we're all devoting ourselves to making that a magical experience.  Guh.  I hope she has fun, I do, because she and all of her bazillion friends are so invested in this good time. 

On my countdown clock it is very odd to note that in 8 days it will have been a year since DR left.  I'm trying not to worry about how much longer he'll be gone, as I have zero control over that...and in some ways I think he feels like he does too.  I think that is what discourages me the most, although I certainly understand it.  

Now I will stop.  You're welcome.  

This Musical Message is For Gotta Find My Grove

And I Can't Land

Hey!  You came to look at my FRUIT!  That's right, today is Saturday and that means Saturday Scavenger Shots.  The word for today, FRUIT, was chosen by me.  And without further ado, I present some FRUIT to you!

Here is some pretty standard FRUIT.  I've got a couple of bananas on their way out, some apples, and tangerines.  Also, please notice my beautiful Mother's Day flowers from Secret Agent Man.  Try less hard to notice the snack stand...

This fake FRUIT is an apple candle.  I haven't lit it, so I am unsure if it actually smells like an apple.  

Is it FRUITy for two men to lay around on their pink heartshaped pillows sharing secrets?  Of course it isn't!  Or if it is, who cares?  I just had to find a way to include this picture, because it is so, so, so cute! 

Little Prince loves his Uncle Social Animal :-)

 

 And there we go!  Thank you for stopping in for Saturday Scavenger Shots.  Not to push my luck, but I'd love it if you could play Choose and Defend Wednesday with me as well.  You know...if you want to.  

Finally, for next week, I am tagging Tara @ Eclectic Spaghetti to choose a word. 

Now, go forth and add some FRUIT to your weekend!

Friday 5 - Food Treatments

Hey, Fridayites.  Made it through another week in one piece and to celebrate I guess I will do this here Friday 5 all about food.  You know me and food.  So, here we goes...

1. What’s your favorite pickled food?  Pickled cucumbers...also known as pickles :-)  I only like dill pickles.  Please take the bread and butter pickles, and especially the sweet pickles, with you when you leave! Thanks.

2. What’s your favorite dehydrated food?  I'm a little confused about what is actually considered a dehydrated food.  Rice?  I like rice.  Raisins are dehydrated grapes, right?  I like those, although calling them "nature's candy" always seemed a bit of a hard sell...

3. What’s your favorite covered-in-chocolate food?  A great many things, when covered in chocolate, become better.  But my favorite thing to cover in chocolate is ice cream.  This could be ice cream with chocolate sauce or hot fudge, or even ice cream bars covered with that chocolate shell.  It's all good.

4. What’s your favorite sauteed-in-garlic-and-butter food? I think I'll go with either potatoes or carrots.  I prefer for my vegetables to be a tad unhealthy.  Mmmmm....

5. What’s your favorite order-at-the-drive-through food?  Oh my.   Hard to choose a favorite, as I do enjoy the drive-through foods quite a bit.  You know what though?  I'm gonna go with a frosty chocolate milkshake.  You buy, I'll fly? 

Delicious, eh?  Now, I do understand that there was something going on with Blogger the past day or so.  SO.  If you were unable to comment on Choose and Defend Wednesday, I do hope you'll try again.  And stop in tomorrow!  If you do, I'll show you my FRUIT.  Thanks! 

Everybody Gets a Nice Autographed Picture

Hey all.  This week is dragging a bit for me.  How's yours going?  Well, at least we've made it to Wednesday so we can play a little Choose and Defend.  This week you get to be famous!  Who would you prefer to be?

A Movie Star

OR

A Rock Star

Tell us which (Choose) and tell us why (Defend).  You know how it goes, so just do it Super Star!!!!
Choose and Defend :-)

Jane, You Ignorant Slut

When I do posts on Monday, I always think of them in my mind as "weekend updates".  Then I think of that long time Saturday Night Live feature.  Then I think of Dan Akroyd and Jane Curtain doing Point/Counterpoint...and that awesome line.  So, there you go!

My weekend was great!  I had a really peaceful quiet day on Saturday.  I was kind of isolated, but I think I was ready for a break from humanity :-)  I did get my grocery shopping done for my Mother's Day lunch, but aside from that I watched tv and read a lot.  In the evening Girlie Girl and I got a pizza and watched Black Swan.  She had seen it before, but I hadn't.  I have to say, that after everything I'd heard about it...I don't know...I guess maybe I was expecting something else?  It was weird and I got that it was showing someone losing their mind...but I can't say I liked it all that much, honestly.  And I was underwhelmed by Natalie Portman, who won an Academy Award for this role.  Clearly this is just me though!  I know the vast majority of people appreciated this movie very much.


Girlie Girl and me. Our big faces are ready to watch a movie together.



Sunday was a wonderful day with the family.  I hosted a Mother's Day lunch at my place.  It was very simple to set up, as I'd decided just to put out sandwich fixings.  Don't be fooled though...it is actually a rather pricey choice, with all the different meat and cheese I wanted to include.  It was worth it though, as everyone loves a good sammich, and as I said the simplicity can't be beat!  WTG brought some beans and guacamole that he'd made and my ma-in-law brought desserts.   The kids all came, except for Secret Agent Man, who had to work.  We all just ate and visited together.  It was lovely.  We started at noon and most everyone had gone by 4 pm.  After that, Girlie Girl and Handsome Lad went off on a hike together while I finished tidying up.   When they came back, we had some more sandwiches for dinner.




Handsome Lad shot from the trail with the city of Azusa below.

I hope that you all had a nice weekend as well.  At this point I've almost gotten through Monday even, and so far can't complain too much.  Should be smooooth sailing for the rest of the week.  Should be.  Yeah.

Oh!  And I know how busy 3GirlKnight is at the moment, so I hope no one minds that I just appointed myself work picker for this week.  The word is....FRUIT.  Dig it.

This Musical Message is For Been Down Two Times

But Don't Go Blaming the Kids Again

Welcome to Saturday Scavenger Shots.  This week's word, PASS, was kindly chosen by 3GirlKnight @ By God's Good Grace.  I found a few things to PASS along, so let's go ahead and begin!

This is the gate you must PASS through to enter Moongate Apartments, where I reside.  You can come in...did you bring snacks?

This is what PASSes for a prize in Cracker Jacks nowadays.  Puh-leeze!  (I'm oddly bitter about this.)

Go ahead, Social Animal, PASS by that affable looking clown...if you dare!  When my dad PASSes (many, many, many years in the distant future) we are all going to fight over that painting.

Finally, here is Handsome Lad, PASSed out beside one of his dogs at his dad's house.

I know...awful lot of PASSing going on here.  Thanks for PASSing the time with me.  Let's see who 3GK PASSes off to next :-)  Have a great weekend and PASS the snacks this direction!

Y'All Gonna Make Me Lose My Mind

Things all crazy up in here.  I swear, this week....  I mean there is the usual busyness of this time of year and preparation for the Summer Reading Program.  There is actually plenty of time, but by the beginning of May our boss gets all spun up and imagines fires where there are none.  So there is that.

Then, I woke up yesterday morning to five little messages...five Paypal transactions that I most definitely did NOT authorize.  Each one, right after the other, in the amount of $35.  So for those doing the math, allow me - $175 boom, out of my checking account.  So I call paypal and let them know they're unauthorized...ah, yes, we will investigate, we already were questioning them, yeah, let us look into it, you'll receive notices as they are resolved.  But the money is gone at the moment, right?  Oh yes, that takes place 7 seconds into the transaction.  But it'll be taken care of.  And talk to your bank too.

Luckily, I had all this time in the morning, because I didn't have to report for jury duty until 11.  Yes!  That special treat awaited me too...jury duty!  So, after I took Handsome Lad to school I went to the bank and told them what happened.  I had to fill out a form for each of the transactions, close my checking account and open a new checking account.  So, it is all being handled on that end too...but it took an hour and a half of my life to do this...plus waiting on new checks (which I really only use for rent) and more importantly a new debit card.  But, all should be normalized in about a week to ten days.

*PS - Told it was better to connect Paypal to a credit card, rather than a bank account, but I don't have a credit card.  So, I probably just won't have Paypal.  Also, I did go around and change all of the passwords at all of the sites I could think of.

Next off to jury duty.  Now, THAT went well.  I got there at 11, and by 11:45 I was walking back out, as the defendant they'd called us in for had decided not to have a jury trial and they had no other need of jurors.  So free for another year!  Whew!  So, after the banking issues and a brief stay at West Covina's County Courthouse I basically had this bonus day off!   And you guys saw me a couple days ago...surely I needed a bonus day :-)  And it was very nice.  Even got in a good, good talk with DR.

I don't know...I have probably said this before, but I really do think of myself as the luckiest unlucky person in the world.  

See you tomorrow when we try to PASS with our Saturday Scavenger Shots.  Wish me luck there...

I Don't Have Enough

First, please notice that 3GirlKnight has choosen the word - PASS - for this week's Saturday Scavenger Shots. Hmmm...


Well, we have made it to Wednesday once again.  I am just glad to have made it through yesterday in one piece!  I am feeling more myself today and am ready to play a little Choose and Defend.  How about you?  Up for it?  I thought today I would just get back to basics.  Nothing fancy this week.    As you know, I am comforted by food.  So let's eat!  What will you have on the side?

French Fries

OR

Onion Rings

So bad, yet so good.  Choose and Defend!  Then go get something to eat :-)

Seamless

...or just falling apart at the seams.  I guess it is mostly Hormonia McWeepy just stopping in, but I am feeling very tender lately.  The next couple of months are feeling a bit overwhelming.  This month I have a Mother's Day lunch to do, Handsome Lad's birthday, and Girlie Girl's prom.  Next month, both of them have graduations, plus Father's Day and Social Animal's birthday.  It feels like too much stuff I can't afford coming down on me all at once.  It is months like these when I'm forced to recognize how close I live to the edge of not having enough.  I get discouraged when I realize I'm going to be struggling like this for the rest of my life.  But of course, I only get like this on bad days :-)

Just  a few minutes ago, I was sitting here at my desk.  I clicked on this link from Presurfer that had these pictures of cats and dogs photobombing each other.  Want to see it?  Look HERE.   Okay, so it really tickled me.  Mostly the way the dogs look so goofy and happy and the cats are mostly glaring malevolently at the camera...anyway, so I was actually laughing out loud at my desk, when all of a sudden I felt something give way inside of me and I started weeping.  Luckily, no one else was here in the office.  It was the oddest feeling.  But it did point out to me that I might just be feeling some stress.  Not much to be done about it, but good to be aware.  Sometimes I ignore my feelings and sometimes I simply don't recognize them. 

Anyway, here's hoping for better days.  And here are a couple of announcements just to reward you for reading this far :-)

It is Mrs. Hairy Woman's birthday!   Let us all wish her a good one and many more to come! 

Also, AlienCG has tagged 3GirlKnight to choose next week's Saturday Scavenger Shots word.  Shot 3GK an email...we'll see if he wants to play. 

Lastly, (whew! ) please stop in tomorrow for Choose and Defend.  I will try to make it something fun.  Actually, suggestions welcomed!  Anytime.  Thanks for bearing with me.  xx

This Musical Message is For It Wasn't a Rock