If I was to have a New Year's Resolution for 2009 it would be to become a better person.

This past year I was blessed enough to get a small glimpse at knowing a young woman.

She seemed like an ordinary woman who married a man with two teenage girls. They already had a child together when I met them. And later we all found out that she was pregnant. They had a baby boy, the first for him. Even though the baby had serious problems at birth and needed to be hospitalized for his first month, they were so proud and excited that he was born.

When they took the baby home they started to relax and get into a routine.

A month went by.

The whole family took a wonderful vacation to Florida and celebrated life.

They got back home and unpacked.

Then her husband suddenly died while attending their 5 year old daughter's birthday party. He died in his daughter's arms. They say he died before he even hit the ground, that's how fast it happened.

He did not prepare for his untimely death. [please, if you do not have a Will, make it a priority to have one done this year.]

Her stepchildren fought a difficult, emotional, embarrassing and painful fight, all while trying to grieve the loss of their father and attend high school, to have her be their guardian.

The reports that came back from the agencies that had to investigate her home were extensive and impressive. One spoke of "her unconditional love and kindness, her honesty and loving discipline are evidenced in her words and deeds".

The children won their fight.

I think, how can I be more like this young widow? This woman, who normally I would feel sorry for due to her situation, is far greater than me.

She knows what matters most in life, she has earned the love and devotion of her children, she has her priorities set right. And it is evidenced in her words and deeds.

That is what I would like to strive for this year; to have my priorities right, my motives correct, my heart in the right place....so that someday, maybe, I would feel "job well done" about my life.

Well Christmas is over and done with. It was filled with family, friends, great gifts, great food and a colonoscopy.

That whole sentence just isn't right.

But I see that when you turn 50 there are a few unpleasant requirements that beckon.

And you have to comply.

And you have to stop eating solid foods and only drink clear liquids.

And you have to prep.

And you have to show up with a responsible person to drive.

And you have to get put under.

And you have to try to wake up.

And you have to try to stand up.

And then the nurses realize that you are a wimp and need more time to recuperate, so back down you go.

And then after you have rested, they might ask you to come back the next day and do it all over again because maybe you didn't prep good enough.

I'm starting to think that the Fabulous Fifties are highly overrated.

I'm 50.

Hey there. Long time no see.

I guess turning 50 kicks the ever-living life out of you...I wasn't prepared for that.

So much has happened, I don't even know where to start.

My husband and father-in-law threw me a surprise party. And I didn't even have a clue!

However, I was wondering why my husband and his kids were dragging me out for breakfast at McDonald's at 8am on a Saturday morning because I'm not a fan of fast food, especially breakfast fast food. I was touched though, because when the children first get to our home for 'our' week they usually want alone time with their dad. I totally respect that and support it, so being invited to go out to breakfast with them should have been a clue.

But I'm clueless.

All I wanted to do was clean the house because the hardwood floors just got sanded and stained and the dust that keeps continuously settling out of no where is freaking me out. And all of the stuff that was put in other places in order to have the floors done still wasn't where it was supposed to be yet.

So when we got home at noon (apparently there were other important errands to run) my house was filled with family and friends. SURPRISE!!!! (Clueless=me) A lot of work and planning went into the party and it showed. I'm so thankful.

It was wonderful. And I didn't freak out about all the dust and clutter.

And that was a lame attempt at showing you a picture of the party, but alas, I am still a ditz of magnitude proportions and uploaded a picture of a stove in my garage that my husband is trying to sell. Hey, anyone interested?

See, I still don't know how to use the Dazzle yet, sorry.

But isn't it a cute stove?

Anyway, while the party was going on, I was on the cusp of getting my husband's sickness, the one I so fondly named 'The Hante Virus'. And this past week I've been down with it, while working the new job and the Clerk's job. So I haven't had the energy to be a blogger, sorry.

Oh, and I didn't get that plum job in Hartford. Here is a copy of the email the employment agency forwarded to me:

Just wanted to let you know that we will not be pursuing matters further with Theresa. We have offered the position to one of the other candidates who has many years of Connecticut family law experience and she has accepted our offer. As I indicated, we had condensed 172 resumes to 29 interviews to 6 second interviews to two final candidates of which Theresa was one. The determining factor was Connecticut family law versus New York family law and this individual fell into our laps and can come in and be productive from day one.

We were, however, extremely impressed with Theresa and if something changes or this individual doesn't work out for whatever reason, I will let you know.


And now in true Scarlett O'Hara fashion: I am going to concentrate on being the best Probate Clerk and part-time Legal Assistant there ever was. And I will never, ever be second pick again! (Apparently, I am still not well).

It's my birthday.

And I'm really tired from a very busy day yesterday. Very....

I think I'll have a better chance of getting breakfast in bed if I'm actually in bed, so I'm going back to bed now.

I'll be back later when my head is clearer.

Another day closer to my big birthday.

I got some presents in the mail yesterday. My mom and dad sent me a gift certificate to a spa...how cool is that? I can't wait to get to use it, I just can't decide between an anti-age facial or a deep tissue massage. Big decisions.

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law sent me a book on secrets for blogging your way to a six-figure income....I'll let you all know how that turns out. And a funny book about divas. They really know me well!

Last night my husband was making dinner and I got all teary about how stressful these past couple of days have been with the Court moving to another facility in town and all the packing and unpacking, all the setting up and reorganizing my office, then starting a new part-time job in a law office and having to learn everyone's name and how things are done and all the new computer software....it's been a bit tough, especially for me with my memory issues.

During all this chaos I've also been chosen as a top candidate for a very plum position at a large firm doing what I love the most. I've gone on two interviews and taken numerous tests. Out of 175 applicants I'm one of three left for them to choose from. If I get this job, I'll not only be happy, but will be earning a decent living. So keep me in prayer please.

So while my husband was busy cooking a delicious dinner for the both of us and simultaneously preparing tomorrow's dinner (Shepard's pie from scratch - yum), the pans were a'flying and the stove top was filled with pots a'boilin' he said, "Do you think I've been sitting around eating bon-bons?"

And I stopped right there in the midst of my pity party and said, "You say that like that's a bad thing."

But honestly, I am so grateful for so much at this time in my life.

When I think of the year 2001 and how I thought my life was over because I was dealing with the worst form of betrayal possible and thought I should be able to die from that stabbing emotional pain, and I look at all I have today, I could not be more grateful.

Go Shorty

My husband has had a fever and stuffy nose for 3 days. I like to fondly call it 'The Hante Virus'.

I haven't been able to sleep because he hasn't been able to sleep due to lack of breathing through his stuffy nose.

Last night I insisted that he take some Sudafed, you know, those little red over-the-counter pills that you have to sign and show your ID for at the pharmacy because bad people chop them up and make Chrystal Meth with them.

Right before bed I told him that there are two little red pills for him on the kitchen counter and to take them. There was no 'please' in my demand; I do need my beauty sleep after all.

Due to those blessed pills, last night we both slept heavenly....until 2am when the Sudafed abruptly wore off.

"Babe, do you want me to get you anything? A drink of water? Some more Advil? Let me go down stairs and get you some more Sudafed?", I asked in the most pleasant, angelic, wifely voice I could muster at that ungodly hour.

"Stop with the Sudafed already, who are you, my drug pusher already?", was his groggy reply.

"No, but you wanna be my...." On second thought, maybe I shouldn't finish writing what I said. It was funny though.

I'm just hoping that 4 hours of sleep will be enough for me today, since I am starting a new part-time job.

And since my BIG birthday is next week...let the celebration demands begin! I don't have any blog-giveaways, since my finances are suffering from a horrible illness much worse than 'The Hante Virus', so I've come up with a virtual party plan...

Today friends, please stand up right now and do a little dance to this:

Question

Does anyone know what has happened to Antique Mommy? Her site hasn't been working.

Thrown to The Wolves

My husband coaches girl's basketball every year.

In fact, this is the first year that he hasn't coached boy's basketball as well as girl's. His son decided not to play this year so Capt is focusing on his daughter's team. (His son is focusing on skateboarding, mostly skateboarding in our basement, which he has turned into an indoor skateboarding park.)

And because I love teenagers....especially a houseful of teenage girls who scream and laugh at the silliest things, our girl's basketball team had a Pasta Night here last Tuesday night.

It was something that I always wanted to do but couldn't because of me living on Long Island and all. But now that I've relocated 100% and married their dad, my evil plan has come to fruition. [insert evil laugh here]

Evil plan = getting a second chance at being a part of a family with young children.

I loved being a mom to my children and even though my children are adults, I still love having them visit. I love who they have become, but that youthfulness is gone forever. And now I have another chance, even if it is only every other week.

I invited the whole team over.

First we ate meatballs and pasta. Unfortunately the pasta sauce I made....it was not very good... at all. I think that I'm going to stop making homemade sauce even though I specifically took a gourmet cooking class on making tomato sauce. That class is where I learned the first rule in making tomato sauce: a good sauce begins with toasting the garlic.

In my new household a good sauce begins when you open the jar of Ragu Traditional Sauce.

We carefully and calmly decorated team sweatshirts so that I wouldn't freak out about the possible stains I might never get out of my furniture.





Mission accomplished.

We watched a documentary on basketball and learned important game skills like, "draw blood" and "Who are we, dogs or wolves?" and how banging on lockers before games psychs-out the opposing team...you know, good sportsman stuff like that.



There is my new dog Fenway, she is loving all the attention the girls are giving her.

Then we made our own sundaes.

It was a marvelous time.

I just love this.

Fire Drill Day

This morning started off with a bang, or a smoke alarm going off that might as well been a bang.

The good news is that as soon as the alarm went off the younger children woke and filed down the stairs ready for action.

The sad news is that my adult boys, who are sleeping in the living room, right next to the alarm, didn't even flinch. Maybe they are just more used to me and my cooking skillz.

This all happened at 6:00am when I was chopping the apple for the stuffing and forgot about the last four pieces of bread in the toaster oven.

I'm thinking that this may have to become a new family tradition....Fire Drill on Thanksgiving Morning.

I am thankful for so many things that happened this year, mostly for my wonderful husband who for some crazy reason married me and makes me get all tingly in love whenever he walks in the room, for my children who continue to amaze me with their independence and success, for my step-children who keep me feeling young or old depending on the situation, for my father-in-law who is not only my good friend, but a wonderful, loving person.

And for the fact that I'm going to be 50 years old in a few short weeks and I can say that I am truly content and peaceful.

It's going to be a great Thanksgiving over here. I hope you have a great one too.

Fenway

Well, we are back from our mini-vacation.

It was nice, it was fun, but by Thursday, we missed being home. That and our bodies couldn't take all that delicious, fattening food that the restaurants were feeding us. We both gained a few pounds.

It was so lovely and relaxing sitting in the hot tub at the hotel every morning watching the sun rise. What a wonderful way to pray each morning.

We got home just in time to get the children for our week.

The floor guys did a beautiful job, even better than we expected. The saw dust (the only thing I am allergic to) left behind was minimal. I wiped down the walls and molding with a damp cloth and that was it. I honestly expected it to be a lot worse.

So now that all the floors on the first floor are done perfectly we went and did something that is going to mess them up.

We got ourselves a dog.

A big dog.

A boxer who looks just like my granddog, Kage.

Our new dog's name is Fenny, as in Fenway Park. Her previous owners loved the Boston Red Sox.

She is a well-behaved dog, trained as a show dog, is 4 years old and loves to play. We got her from my daughter who knew a couple that could no longer keep her due to obligations caring for a parent with cancer.

Already our hardwood floors are starting to look scratched up.

But our family needed a dog. With the children living with us one week on and one week off, it makes for a lot of emptiness on the off weeks.

Not only that but the things you do as an intact family seldom get done. So having a dog to love, to be a part of this family will, hopefully, give the children more of the privileges of an intact family life.

That and I'll have a dog to take with me on my long walks. And to greet me when I get home.

She doesn't need any training either.

I'll post a picture of her as soon as I can.

Opposites Attract

One thing I've learned from all of this dining out with my husband stuff:

Whenever he tastes something and says, "This is horrible", my interest piques because I know that I'm gonna absolutely love and totally devour whatever it is that he's not liking.

Update on the House Construction

State Farm Insurance, I love you!

Last night my husband and I checked into the Hilton for a five day stay at State Farm's expense.

I posted about the leaky dishwasher incident a few months back.

First there was the 'rip out the kitchen floor stage'.

Then there was the 'breaking the granite counter top' stage, where I had to help pick out matching granite by driving all over this state. If I ever hear 'Uba tuba' again I'm gonna spit. Actually, I don't know how to spit and it's not lady like.

Next there was the putting in the ugly linoleum tile stage that came out looking fine, yet again required me to drive all over Connecticut to pick out. The reason it was ugly was because the tile that got ruined from the leak was a cheap linoleum tile and the restoration company could only restore back to the previous type tile. I picked out a tile that would easily be recognized as the same tile you would see at a school, or grocery store, thinking that we would put a floating bamboo floor on top of it after the work was done. But I'm liking the brightness of the ugly tile and I think it will stay that way for awhile.

Yesterday they came and moved all the furniture on the first floor into the garage. I kinda freaked out a little because, OMG all my stuff is no longer where it belongs and I have a case of THE OCD. Also had to pack enough clothes and toiletries for me, my husband and for the two kids because if the floors aren't dry by Friday, the kids are going to have to be here with us.

Today the contractor is on the 'sanding, staining and polyethaning the floors' stage.

Which requires us to stay at a luxury hotel, all expense paid, except dry cleaning. That's what the hotel manager told me. "We were told by your insurance company that all your expenses are covered, except for dry cleaning". And I didn't know how to respond to that. Am I insulted? No. I'm fine with it actually, I didn't even think of bringing my dry cleaning with me.

Last night we ate at a fancy restaurant and ordered all of our favorite meals. We even shared a piece of carrot cake which was divine.

This morning at 6am we ate a big breakfast together and off to work he went.

I didn't mind eating all these rich, fattening foods because my big plan was to use the gym and the pool every morning to burn the extra calories off.

Except that I forgot my sneakers at home.

And it's too late to go back and get them.

And my feet are so small and arches so high, that it takes forever to find any shoe or sneaker to fit them, so I'm not going to purchase another pair.

So there you have the update and extra info that I'm sure you didn't need.

If you need me, I'll be sitting poolside.

Not really, I just always wanted to say that.

The Best Mom Song Eva

My new BFF Peggy showed me this YouTube Video today. I've played it like 100 times already and I can't stop laughing.

I can't wait to show my children.

Hi everyone.

I know it's been a while since I've been here, but things around these parts have been busy.

Take for instance yesterday.

I had to see an ENT doctor because my poor husband keeps complaining that he can't sleep with all my snoring and breathing stoppage during the night.

I never used to snore or stop breathing, it's a new thing since I've been married.

After doing several tests, one of which was very invasive, the doctor told me what he thinks is the problem:

I'm too stress-free. Too relaxed.

He explained it like this - I used to have a stressful job, used to live in a stressful town and my muscles were tense. Now that I'm married, getting jiggy with it (my words, not his), happy and working in a stress-free environment, the muscles in my neck and throat have relaxed so much that my airway gets constricted at night when I go into a deep sleep.

Imagine that.

So now I have to sleep overnight at a Sleep Clinic and get all sorts of tests, which creeps me the heck out.

I know I'm not going to be able to sleep with all sorts of people watching me and recording my vitals. And I'm going to be all wired up.

Help, I need some stress in my life!!!!

I never thought I would ever say that last sentence.

Ooops

Yesterday my husband stayed home from work and put the dishwasher back in. It's been gone for over three months and I am so happy I could cry.

That and the fact that I won't have to deal with my rubber gloves insulting me anymore.

I was working in the Court yesterday when he stopped by to surprise me. We chatted for a few minutes while I packed up my office.

The whole Town Hall (where the Court is located) has been getting re-carpeted and a new paint job. It is the Court's turn to move everything out and since I'm the only one there I got to pack up.

When Capt was leaving and standing at the door I said, in a rather loud voice, "Hey, come back here and give me some tongue." (which means give me a kiss)

What I didn't realize was that an attorney was entering my office at the same time and overheard me.

I tried not to make a big deal out of it as I explained to the attorney that he was my husband and we are newlyweds, but I got the feeling that he doubted me.

Why You Should Always Check Your Kid's Homework

Mommy works at Home Depot.....she is selling a shovel in the picture!

I've been down-in-the-dumps for 2 days.

And the fact that I got a flu shot on Wednesday is most likely the reason I feel so absolutely blaaaaahhhhhhh. That really wiped me the heck out. At one point Wednesday night my husband just looked at me and laughed as I stood in the middle of the kitchen staring into space. Then I remembered that my body is trying to fight off the flu shot and it is taking all of my energy so I'd better just go to bed.

Anyway, I forced my family to see 'High School Musical 3' last night after dinner (I made pancakes and scrambled eggs because I just couldn't get myself to actually make a meal) just to cheer me up.

After the first hour my husband and step-son were ready to kill me and my step-daughter was lovin' me. I enjoyed it and it did feel good to do something fun with the family.

The men just don't realize how much a high-spirited youthful musical lifts up a girl's spirits.

Anyway, food has been on my mind a lot too. I've haven't had much of an appetite after the diet episode last week.

I've been wondering what I would eat if I knew it was going to be my last meal.

I'm not too sure yet about the entree, maybe lobster, but I know I would eat all the Hagen Daz Coffee Ice Cream I could.

How about you, what meal would you eat if you knew it would be your last?

Why I Should Have Stayed in Bed

Wednesdays are my day off. A day to catch up on the laundry, cleaning and errands.

Yesterday I planned on going to the dentist to have him put back the crown that fell out before my wedding, then get my nails done (finally), then go for a routine check up and then go get a few things from the grocery store.

The dentist's office was interesting. He told me that because I had waited 3 months to come in, my teeth shifted and the crown no longer fit. He used a diamond head drill and made it fit, but before he permanently cemented it in he tried it out first. When he saw that it did indeed fit he tested to see if dental floss would fit between the neighboring teeth.

That's when I heard him shout, "OH NO!!!!".

The crown had catapulted down my throat as he pried the floss out.

However, I saved the day by sitting up quickly and coughing the thing up.

Dainty, yes, I know.

Immediately from there I went to get my nails done. After an hour of the most detailed and exact laying on of nails I've ever experienced, the nail technician managed to get her whole hand glued to a metal aerosol bottle.

I took a long time for the other nail technician to remove it.

There was a lot of laughing going on, so she really was fine.

So what was supposed to be an hour at the nail salon actually took 2 1/2 hours.

But I'm not complaining because - I HAVE NICE LOOKING NAILS AGAIN!!!!

Is it a Crime?

Living with an 11 year old boy has been an eye-opening experience.

It has been a long time since my sons were that age and I don't remember them being so, well, so typical boy-energy/loud/playful/rough/messy/adamant-ish.

My stepson is a handful at times and at other times he is the sweetest, most loving child.

And there are the times when I just can't figure him out at all.

For instance, last Saturday we took a drive to Albany (2hrs away) from Connecticut to drop off my daughter's dog. We had been dog sitting all week while she was in Las Vegas at a wedding.

We stopped off at Burger King to get some lunch and since I wasn't eating lunch, I told the family that I was going to take the dog for a walk in the grassy part of the parking lot.

"NO, NO, THERESA, YOU CAN'T DO THAT HERE!!!", the boy screamed as he grabbed the dog's collar and tried to get him back in the truck as quickly as possible.

"Why not?", I replied.

"We are in Massachusetts, this is PUBLIC. You can't let the dog pee in PUBLIC in Massachusetts!!!!!", he screamed in a panic.

Me and my husband gave each other an inquisitive look are were trying not to laugh.

And the boy continued repeating the same thing over and over until we convinced him that it was okay to let your dog pee in public in the state of Massachusetts.

But his rationale....still remains a mystery.

He still can't explain it.

I Understand Now

Sometimes I forget that I have medical issues.

I go about my life acting and thinking that I'm just like everyone else...I can do anything physical, I can stay up late and not get enough sleep and I can eat anything that comes my way - even though I had half of my colon removed five years ago.

And sometimes it all catches up with me as my body screams, "ACT YOUR AGE NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE!!!".

[My shoe size is 5. Add a zero to that and that will be my age in December.]

I thought I could go on the Sacred Heart Diet - where eating lots of veggies and fruit helps you lose weight fast.

I was good up until the third day where you are instructed to eat all the fruit and veggies you can all day.

I had some fresh pineapple for breakfast, vegetable soup for lunch and as I was ferrying across the Sound (NY to Connecticut) I enjoyed an apple. Apples do not digest for New York Babe.

The pain was not unlike being in labor.

I stopped the diet, and when all was said and done I had lost 7 lbs.

And since I wasn't allowed to drink my usual few sips of Pepsi in the morning, for the first time in my life I tried coffee.

I have never in my entire life drank a cup of coffee.

Why have I waited all this time? I don't know, but I liked it.

And after a few sips I felt like my eyes were bigger than ever.

And just think of all the new possibilities:

I can meet friends for a cup of coffee.

Whenever I stop in at a convenience store I can go to the coffee counter with all the cool people.

I can invite people over for coffee.

So I have learned many important things about myself during this diet. And I will be more aware of how I take care of myself.

Since August I've been without a dishwasher.


I haven't complained, but I am getting a bit tired of washing, rinsing and drying ever single dish and utensil.


Because of our budget, or lack thereof, I've had to stop getting my nails done. I've always had acrylic pink and white...I believe I might have been born with them on.

So, in order to protect my now thin, damaged nails, I purchased yellow rubber gloves and I've been wearing them to do the dishes.

After two months, my nails look worse then ever.

That is not the gloves fault though. My nails and cuticles look like they belong to a bricklayer, not a female paralegal from New York.


The thing with the rubber gloves is that every single time I go to put them on, they are laying on my counter in a rather insulting position.


If you lean towards the paranoid side, as I sometimes do, then you will understand how I could possibly assume that someone in my household was trying to tell me something every time I went to put the gloves on.


But after a brief investigation I figured out that it was me who left them that way.


At first I wasn't aware that I took them off by pulling on the middle fingers and then laying them down with the rest of the fingers folded in.


Hence, the unintentional insult.


So, if my stepchildren didn't think I was weird enough before I asked them if they were trying to tell me something while showing them the position of the gloves, they certainly do now.


And my husband took a look at my manly hands yesterday and told me that he insists that I get my nails done...even if it doesn't fit into our budget.

100

100 days ago today, I married the man of my dreams.

Happy Anniversary Capt, I love you.

Also, 100 days ago today, I weighed 10 pounds less than I do today.

I don't have a calculator on hand, but I can assume that at that rate, he's gonna have to build a bigger door entrance for me soon.

Just sayin'....

Seriously, I am going to start the Sacret Heart Diet, anyone want to join me? Someone at work, who didn't even look like she needed to diet, lost 14 lbs the first week and now, 6 months later, eats whatever she wants in moderation and lost a total 35 lbs.

Why Leaving the Toilet Seat Open Might be a Good Thing.

6:00 am Saturday Morning:

Pookie, age 13: "Theresa, first of all I want you to know that I am totally serious, okay?"

YewNorkBabe, age 49 and holding: "Okay, what's up?"

Pookie: "Really, really, really, I'm not kidding about this."

YNB: "Okay, just tell me."

Pookie: "There is a dead mouse in my bathroom toilet."

*silence*

Pookie: "Theresa, what should I do?"

*silence* as Theresa tries very hard not to take an emotional decline.

Pookie: "Theresa are you okay?" (She knows how freaked out I get about rodents, especially when they are in our house.)

YNB: "Just go wake your father and tell him that a mouse committed suicide in the toilet."

I heard laughter and then a flush.

It seems that all our neighbors are getting mice in their houses. They seem so matter-of-fact about it. I, on the other hand, am ready to move to another house.

I am not handling this well.

Even though I am strongly against hypnotism, I am seriously thinking about getting hypnotized into thinking that mice are cute or something.

I wonder if there are hypnotists that do that sort of thing.

The Color of Love

A while ago my insurance company approved us for a new kitchen floor, since the old floor had buckled from the dishwasher leak.

Even though they approved $15,000 worth of work, I was only allowed to spend $1.50 per square foot on the flooring.

And the flooring had to be vinyl tile, nothing else, since that was what the previous flooring was.

If I was going to upgrade, it would have been a big deal. And I have not been in the mood for a big deal. And our household budget wasn't in the mood for a big deal.

So, my husband and I went looking for flooring at $1.50 per square foot in our area. By area I mean the 50 mile radius around the one traffic light town in the boondocks where we live. In other words, Home Depot....the only place around these parts.

It was impossible to find anything, so I called the restoration company and asked them if they had any ideas. They sent me to a flooring warehouse in Milford, CT. And one Wednesday afternoon, I took the long drive there alone. The gentleman that I had an appointment with was shocked to find out that I traveled such a long way to pick out such a low cost tile. I told him that I was from New York.

That satisfied his curiosity.

He showed me a few samples and I quickly picked out an ugly one that wouldn't clash with the oak floors that surround the kitchen and left. You see, even though I am a woman, I am a tad bit color blind. Just a tad. I can't distinguish between pastel colors, purple and blue look the same to me. I've mistakenly worn one black/blue shoe and one brown shoe/boot/sandal to work too many times to remember.

Later that night Capt and I had open house at Pookie's middle school. There, right under our feet was the same tile I had just chosen for our kitchen. Uggh. "You see this right here?", I point out to him, "This is our new kitchen tile." He didn't comment. But he did roll his eyes.

The restoration company came on Tuesday for a projected three-day job of removing the granite counter tops, cabinets, flooring, etc. and laying the new floor.

State Farm told me to go out and eat at any restaurant with my family during the renovation and they will reimburse us. So for the first night we decided to go to the kid's favorite place, Boston Market. But the second night was going to be a real fancy place.

When we got home from Boston Market, the kitchen was finished. Rats!!!! No more free meals.

But I believe a miracle happened.

The flooring brightens up the kitchen and I'm loving it.

I wish I could show you some pictures, but I'm having great difficulty.

My husband says that now, whenever I want to upload the pictures from my camera, I have to use the Dazzle and they automatically go onto the F drive which can be found by......and all I start to hear is "Blah, blah, la, la....., something important, something important...configures...blah, blah...." and then I see something shiny in the distance and I'm totally gone.

So, I don't have a clue what I'm doing with my pictures.

There is some more good news though, the restoration company broke the granite counter top. That was expected. So now, I have to pick out new granite and if I can't match the old granite (there is black granite on all sides of the kitchen) to the granite that is still intact, then I get to pick out new granite.

So this morning I was in the master bathroom with Capt, attempting to tame my unruly hair as we were discussing the kitchen granite situation and he began to brush his teeth with my green toothbrush. (We bought new toothbrushes last month.)

"Hey, that's my toothbrush, ewwww.", I say.

"Ewww, no, Babe, this is my toothbrush, see, it's green, don't tell me you've been using my toothbrush this whole time!!!!", he says.

"Yes I have because yours is the red one in the holder and green is my favorite color", I say.

"Look carefully at the red one, Babe, IT'S PINK, do you think I'd be using a PINK toothbrush?", he said.

"Oh Darn, I did it again, that's just gross".

I won this award over at Nancy's Blog, thanks Nancy.

I love reading Nancy's Blog for many reasons but mostly because we are in similar situations in our lives and, when I'm going through tough times, reading about all the fun things she is doing with her family and friends makes me a feel like I'm not alone in all of this and that there is hope that in a while all will settle down.

I'd like to give this award to a few people that I love:

Mimi over at Beachy Mimi

Wendi over at Because Wendi Said So

Jessica over at Oh The Joys

Liz over at LooneyBin4sure

Nadine over at Just Being Me

Happy 2 Year Negative Anniversary

My daughter and future son-in-law picked a wedding date.

October 10, 2010. Ten-ten-ten. Cute, eh?

I'm so excited that my daughter is getting married. Excited for her, excited for him and...well, excited for me because this is one step closer towards me becoming a grandmother... someday.

(Hey, I'm not getting any younger.)

So Happy Two-Year Negative Wedding Anniversary Jen and Jay.

Props Where Props are Due

This past Friday I got the kids off to school, dropped off their transition stuff to their mother's house, did some various other errands and drove to Boston, all by myself.

My husband had his monthly Drill Weekend. I know, I know, it sounds painful, but there are no dentist drills involved during Drill Weekend. I've asked.

The drive along the way to Boston was full of beautiful foliage. And, when I arrived in Boston, more civilization than I've seen in quite some time.

There was both hustle and bustle going on.

There were people and buildings...oh my land! I was so very excited to see so many cars...and not a pickup truck anywhere. Nor cows, or horses anywhere for that matter. Not that I mind the cows and horses in my town, it's just that whenever I see any type of urban civilization I get all nostalgic and excited.

Capt had printed me out a coupon for 25% off on parking at PreFlight Parking. Let me tell you that the people over there were wonderful. As soon as I got out of my car the shuttle bus pulled up to whisk me off to the airport. Bach was gently playing throughout the bus....Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major to be exact...one of my favs.

(Youze didn't know I was so kultured n' stuff, did ya?)

When I arrived back to Boston from my whirlwind of a trip to SC another shuttle was there as I stepped out of the building. There was no waiting at all.

This bus was calming too. In fact, a couple sitting next to me made their upcoming wedding arrangements on a cell phone during the 15 minute trip back. I know where they are getting married, the ceremony details, the flowers and their music choices. Entertaining, yes.

I got a ride directly to my truck and when I drove through to pay the cost for three days of parking was a mere $35 !!!

When I go to NYC that's what I pay an hour for parking.

It was a fun-filled, jam-packed weekend and I must say that I was very impressed with PreFlight Parking and how easy and affordable the parking was for me.

Self Destruction Opera, the Review

The play was brilliant.

Every performance was sold out except the matinee, which was the one we all went to (my mom and dad, my daughter and future son-in-law).

Usually my son is nervous during his plays, but this time he seemed more at peace. Saturday night's performance was being reviewed by some bigwigs from NY. I wasn't there for that performance....I can't wait to read the reviews.

As usual, most of the intricate meanings and messages and representations that my son peppered his play with flew right past my understanding. But that's just me, most things like that fly right over my head.

But the story of how a 20-something year old young man gets through his past, a past that defines him, and becomes a man who can obtain what he wants and overcomes what he doesn't like about himself is a story that I can understand.

After the play, members of the audience were talking about how brilliant it was and how talented my son is.

And I am so very proud of him.

The actors were fantastic, I couldn't get over how down-to-earth they were and how professional they were. And when I got to meet them after the play I was surprised that many of them had strong Southern accents. The play was set in NY City and they had the accent down perfectly.

My son Tom,David and Jen's little brother, the computer programmer- IT guy, doesn't like plays, so he doesn't come to see David's plays anymore.

David knows this and understands this, but still feels frustrated about it, as if it is a challenge. So, whenever he writes a play he says he thinks of Tom and tries to make the play interesting for someone like Tom, a non-play going person.

And in ALL of David's plays somewhere along the storyline he has a brother murdered.

David says the carnage will continue until his brother attends one of his plays.

Yes my family is odd.

But it's my family and I love them.

Self Destruction Opera

I'm flying out of here in a few hours to see my oldest son's play, "Self Destruction Opera" in South Carolina.

The proudness I feel...it is overwhelming.

This morning Pookie asked me what I am ever going to do with all the flight time I'll be experiencing (a whole 1 1/2 hours). I told her that I'd be most likely bothering the person sitting next to me about how my son is a playwright and how wonderful he is and how he was reading at a 3rd grade level at the age of 18 months old and how he has a brilliant mind and how I'm on my way to see a big production of one of his magnificent plays and how I'm not going to let this person, whomever he or she may be, get a word in edge wise because I'm so excited about my son DAVID.

Here is where you all might want to say a prayer for that poor person that is going to be sitting next to me.

I do find it funny though that Pookie gets all concerned when I have a few moments of nothing to do. In her world - No IPod, no Laptop, no GameBoy....well, what on earth does one do then?

Oh teenagers.


Here is what was written about my son David Jacobi's play:

CLEMSON — After starting with superheroes and capes, young David Jacobi graduated from comics to gritty graphic novels, like “Watchmen.” By the time he was a teenager, he was knee-deep in film noir, Stephen King and “The Twilight Zone.”

Jacobi, now a 28-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y.-based playwright, continues to chase shadows. His “Self Destruction Opera” is a dark comedy twisting together two separate plots — one: a 1940s-style drama; and the other: a modern tale of horror.

A Clemson University production of the play will make a six-day stand at the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 30 – Oct. 5. Clemson Theatre Director Mark Charney is helming the show.

“‘Self Destruction Opera’ is based on the idea something happening to one person can also happen to someone unrelated at the same time,” Charney said. “The two stories consistently overlap. It’s very contemporary, and suggests even in the worst of times, we’re all connected.”
Sundry characters populate “Self Destruction Opera,” which centers on the lives of two principals: suicidal landlord Bobby Newmark and chemically addled chef Franklin Pinkerton. Newmark finds the love of his lifetime, while Pinkerton buries his murdered wife. There’s a soul devouring demon — or is it a tormented brother? — calling from the super’s basement. (I told you it was dark.)

Jacobi began writing the play in China during summer 2007. At the time, he was studying language and culture at Beijing University and exploring the local theater scene. While laid up sick in his hotel room one morning, Jacobi hammered out a 10-page skeleton script. He fleshed out the entire story upon returning to the U.S. and his classes at State University of New York; as per a writing class assignment, Jacobi finished a full version in 48 hours. He recalls the whirlwind session as “exhausting” and “painful.”

Charney became aware of “Self Destruction Opera” when Jacobi submitted the script to WordBRIDGE, a cutting edge Clemson theatre initiative giving young playwrights access to real-world production resources. Out of 100 entries, Jacobi was one of seven writers selected for WordBRIDGE 2008.

“I loved the script. I’d rarely seen something so dark yet with so much hope,” Charney said. “There are two compelling stories coming together in a completely original way.”

At WordBRIDGE, Jacobi showed a willingness to experiment with his play and shift things around. After a pair of stellar auditions for the narrator, the role was split into two.

Like other WordBRIDGE playwrights, Jacobi was offered access to big-shot dramaturges, choreographers and other pros. The experience jolted his text.

Said Jacobi: “The play would not be where it is without WordBRIDGE. I was given unlimited research and was able to work with people I already admired. It’s absolute paradise for playwrights and writers.”

Now, a 12-person Clemson Players student cast is making Jacobi’s words reality. The production is ambitious for a collegiate project. A wall of light. Trap doors. Spiral staircase. Four-level stage. A pregnant woman spewing confetti from the womb.

It’s all in there.

“I think ‘Self-Destruction Opera’ is a play trying to be a movie,” Jacobi said.

In a small New York production of the play, Jacobi even rolled credits on a screen before the actual show.

“Theatre is kind of too smart for its own good. I don’t want to dumb it down, but I want something entertaining to bring people in with kind of a film mind. Theatre offers intimacy, but I wish it had more of the accessibility of cinema,” Jacobi said.

Charney compares the play to films from bent auteur David Lynch, like “Blue Velvet.” And while Jacobi will cop to the influence of filmmakers, including Quentin Tarantino, he also said Irish playwright Nick Donohue casts a shadow.

A stint as a sous chef also shaped “Self Destruction Opera.” Jacobi said, “I wanted to see two things like film noir and horror fit together, how they would complement each other and what the similarities were.”

Currently, Jacobi is collaborating with a New York writers’ collective, Heart/Punch. Although the tone of his next project is yet to be determined, for now Jacobi is basking in the smoldered contours of dark comedy. Jacobi said his connection with the genre expanded after reading the work of novelist Kurt Vonnegut.

“I think there’s something cathartic about laughing about something horrible, whether it’s your own fault or a tragedy. Vonnegut would say these things — ‘isn’t this world a terrible place’ — but place them in a light and humorous fashion. There’s something very calming about that.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Production Staff
Director ......................................................... Mark J. Charney
Assistant Director.......................................... Clint Boswell
Stage Manager .............................................. Kirsten Head
Scenic Designer ............................................ David Hartmann
Lighting Designer ......................................... Tony Penna
Costume Designer ......................................... Rebecca Eastman
Sound Designer ............................................. Jeff Russell
Music Composed by ..................................... Jeff Russell and Robert Allen
Technical Director ........................................ Richard Cowan
Dramaturg ..................................................... Anna Chovanec
Assistant Stage Manager ............................... Teresa McClernon
Asst. Costume Designer ................................ Corinna I. Miller
Fight Choreographer ..................................... Paul Savas
Fight Captain ................................................. Ryan McCrary
Properties Designer ....................................... Corinna I. Miller
Makeup Artist ................................................ Corinna I. Miller
Cast
Bobby/Franklin .............................................. Ryan McCrary
Rebecca/Penny ............................................... Erin Lovelace
Gerald/Detective Moon .................................. Andrew Christian Herrera
Beth/Anne ...................................................... Maxine LeBron
Abraham/Killer .............................................. Shayan Shojee
Bastard Operator/Chorus ............................... Jazzma Pryor
Jesse James/Chorus ........................................ Bradley Zellars
Mr. Rictus ....................................................... Nick Mazzuca
Walter/Chorus ............................................... Harry Averett
Carl/Chorus.................................................... Michael Jasper
Jimmy/Narrator/Chorus ................................. Miles C. Ware
Narrator/Chorus ............................................. Kristi Laffler
Crew
Greg Bateman, David Williams, Charlie Jenkins, Megan Dorris, Andi Stone

Did I mention how proud I am of him?

M is for Meme

Yesterday I was tagged by RR Mama for a meme.

If you haven’t read her blog you should go over there right now and check out the pictures of the damage to her home from Hurricane Ike.

Go ahead. I’ll wait.

So, here are the rules:

1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you.
3. link back to this parent post.
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all.
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them.

Here is how blogging has affected me…

1. Friends -

By now youz (NY for Y’all) must be sick and tired of me talking about my relocating from NY to CT together with the ‘empty nest syndrome’, so this is the last post on all of that.

I can’t promise, but it will be my goal.

During this past year it has been the encouragement, prayers and kind words of wisdom from my blogging friends that has gotten me through some of the most difficult times of my life.

I have talked on the phone with some of these friends, emailed some and IM’d a few. I’d love to meet some over a cup of coffee, or Pepsi someday.

It has been a comfort to know that I have many friends in the blogging world that I can meet with each morning while I drink my morning Pepsi (lots of ice and a lemon wedge). And you all accept me for that.

2. Vulnerability-

One of my biggest issues in life used to be letting myself be vulnerable.

If I can’t be vulnerable, no one really understands me….my self-erected walls don’t break down….no one can get too close to me.

Reading other blogs, especially Christian Women Blogs, and seeing that other women are opening up and discussing things like depression, anxiety, loss of spouses, loss of children, etc. has given my more courage to express who I really am. And not only to other bloggers, but also to my other-than-internet life.

I may not be able to always relate to the exact problems that are being posted, but I am able to relate to having hidden fears, secrets and concerns.

I have learned that bringing out the things that are hidden into the light takes the darkness away.

Whenever someone shares about their problems, I admire them, pray for them and look more closely at myself.

I cannot thank you enough for that gift.

3. Focus-

My life gets CRAZY sometimes. Having two younger children again that have been brought up in a different time, different environment, with two parents who co-parent together makes my head spin sometimes.

My step-son can be a handful sometimes and knowing what to do and how much to do is confusing for me. And although I love them both with all my heart, it can get absolutely CRAZY around here.

Having the ability to go sit alone with my laptop and go down my blogroll helps me to pull myself together, get my faith up and running faster and helps me focus on my new family again.

4. Sharing-

One of the biggest things that I love about blogging….and I know that this is kind of selfish….is that when I do something that I am proud of, like making a gourmet meal or an amazing pie, or my wedding, I can post pictures and get all you to ooohhh and ahhh over them. I just love compliments.

5. Confidence –

For all the reasons mentioned above, blogging has given me more confidence in who I am in God’s eyes, in my husband’s eyes and in my children’s eyes. And it has given me confidence in being the unique person I am.

Enough said.

I am going to tag:
My Home Sweet Home Newly added to my blogroll
Insight to Lala's World -just because she's so busy and probably needs a break from her busy life right now.
Looney Bin 4 Sure - just because I said so.
The Farmer Files Newly added to my blogroll.
Fordy Days and Nights Newly added to my blogroll.

Thanks. I hope you don't mind being tagged. And thanks to my new blog friend RRMama.

This Song is for You, Filled with Gratitude

Tonight my 28 year old daughter is having dinner with my first love.

It is a long story but here is a short version:

I met Todd in 1987. We dated for about 4 years. He taught me so many things about love. Have you ever known someone that made you feel like you were kindred spirits? That was us. Sometimes we would even know what the other was thinking. It was amazing.

But my insecurities and my past held me back from going to that next level with him and I know that I made the right choice, but it was painful. Very painful. Painful for me and for my children who were very attached to him.

I think our biggest problem was that we both were 'follower-type' people. There was no one strong 'leader ' and we both were just lost, not knowing how to get through the smallest of difficulties and not having a healthy frame of reference to guide us though.

Anyway, Todd found a wonderful wife and now has a beautiful, happy family.

I struggled for many years making mistakes and trying to fill the emptiness in my life that was left behind.

And all the time I thanked God that Todd was put in my path to teach me about love, to teach me to delve into the little things in life because they are the most important...to laugh, frequently from the depths of my being.

I honestly don't think that I would be here today, loving my husband, loving my life, and loving God if it wasn't for Todd.

This life is but a blink of the eye and I know that one day, when this earthly life is over, we all will be fellowshipping together again - without all the baggage, mistakes, insecurities and hurts.

updated: Jen called me after the dinner to say basically the same thing I just posted. "Mom, I learned about love from Todd, he taught me things that made me the person I am today. He taught me art, appreciation for little things, he was such a great influence in my life".

Do you have someone in your past that changed your life for the better?

Next I'll be Taking Geritol

Pookie just came home from school. She's been at her mother's all week and now her and her brother spend this week at home with us.

As she most often does when she first gets home here she went to the cabinet where we keep the goodies.

"Hello Lucky Charms", she exclaims.

And then she pours herself a big bowl and adds milk. Organic Milk.

"I guess the organicness of the milk cancels out the unhealthiness of the colored marshmallows", she says matter-of-factly as she sits down and eats her after-school snack.

That's just one of the reasons I love her, you can never argue with her rationale.

My husband and I went to open school night at her school last night.

I haven't been to one of those since 1996 when my children were in high school. And back then my children had about 2,000 children in each grade.

Here, 4 local towns join together for middle school totalling 350 per grade.

I learned many things last night.

Did you know that students can get their text books on a disk? What is that all about? What happened to the heavy text books that they had to schlep back and forth each day?

When my kids forgot something from school their punishment was to bring home the entire contents of their desk for a week.....it always worked. That's not going to work these days.

And what is with those Smart Boards? They do look like a lot of fun, but who gets to clean the chalkboard erasers these days? That used to be such an honor in my day.

Reading that last sentence makes me feel really, really old.

But the most amazing difference between 1996 and now is the fact that you can track your child's school work, homework, projects and grades online everyday. You can even give your kids quizzes on the things they've learned that week.

My head, it was a'spinnin' last night.

I've got a lot of catching up to do if I'm going to keep up with these Whippersnappers. (there I go again)

Magically Delicious, I Don't Think So

This past Saturday my husband insisted on going shopping with me at the Commissary.

Not actually insisted. Actually, not even close. But lets say he came with me because he was available and we didn't have any children with us. And I was going anyway. His eyes did roll when I told him that it was our next stop after Home Depot. We were at Home Depot at the time.

So he came with me.

It's really not considered kidnapping when you're married, is it?

It was the first time in his 25 years of service in the Armed Forces that he has been to the Commissary. I have been shopping there since I received my military ID because the prices and the men in uniform make the shopping an experience to be remembered.

Sometimes I get weak in the knees from all the low prices.

Or that could be because of all the Navy men. *swoons*

I will confess that I have always had a thing for men in uniform. I think my husband should come home in his once in awhile, but it's never happened in the whole two months that we've been married.

But I digress.

So we walk into the commissary and immediately Capt (my husband) goes nuts.

NUTS!!!!

One of the first things he eyes is the breakfast cereal. He grabs a box of Lucky Charms, reads the price and throws it in the cart. "A dollar fifty for cereal? Wow, you can't beat that!", he says as he proceeds to fill the cart up with various other popular sugar-filled cereal.

Now, here's the strange part:

In all the years I have known Capt and his children I have never, ever seen any of them eat breakfast cereal.

When Pookie, age 13, wakes up on a school day she usually has two pieces french toast. Maybe once a week she will have a ham and cheese omelet.

When The Boy, age 11, wakes up on a school day, he ALWAYS has pancakes, made from scratch (as in butter milk, eggs, flour, etc.) along with yogurt, fresh fruit, four pieces of raisin bread toast with cream cheese, instant oatmeal with peaches and sometimes a breakfast sausage and more.

And just in case you have an image of a rather plump child - you are mistaken. The Boy is thin.

(If you have a child on ADHD meds, you understand.) The next time he will eat anything substantial will be right before bed.

On the weekends I make even bigger breakfasts for them. I don't eat a big breakfast, usually I eat oatmeal.

So, as you see, there isn't room for breakfast cereal in the schedule. And they have never asked for any.

But now we have 6 boxes of sugary and marshmallowy cereal in the cabinet above the stove, each for $1.50.

And I doubt that it will ever get eaten.

But, my husband is excited about what a bargain we got.

In the interest of actually saving money, which is the whole idea, of course, I will go alone from now on.

How it all went....

I just got back from my 'date' with Peggy. Her and her family just moved from NY last month. She had so many questions about this little town. I've only lived here 9 months, but since I work in the center of town, I was able to explain some.

This town is so different than NY......it is quaint, down-to-earth , friendly and just plain lovely in so many ways.....and so not on the pulse of fashion and trends. And if you need to purchase something from a store, plan on at least an hour adventure because there is nothing close by. Nothing.

But if you are into coyotes, deer, beaver, hawks, chipmunks, heron, bear, AND LOTS OF MICE, then you are living in the right place.

We met for lunch at a local restaurant, a restaurant where George Washington once ate at, and didn't stop talking until I took out my cellphone and realized that it was 2:30pm! Peggy had to be home at 2:20 to get her teenage daughter off the bus. (Her backpack is very heavy and she has to walk 1/2 mile from the bus stop uphill to her house.)


And for someone from NY, where everything you want is a few steps away, that's a long way!


I really enjoyed our lunch and I hope that the next time we get together it will be as easy as today was.

BFF's 4EVA

For me, blogging has been a great way to meet friends. Although, I've yet to have the opportunity to actually meet one of them face-to-face, I've had the pleasure of speaking to a few over the phone. And, of course, e-mail. And some via AIM.

I've meet some wonderful friends by blogging and reading blogs...friends who care, pray for me and my family, are supportive through the tough times and those who laugh at my silliness.

It's been a great outlet for me to vent and share the struggles of my life and the lives of my family.

There are times when I don't put a lot of effort into blogging and there are times when I do.

I'm not one of the 'popular blogs' - you know, the ones that get a whole lot of traffic, the ones that get invited on all expense paid visits to far away countries to 'live blog'....the ones that....well you know.

And that's okay with me. I've never been one of the popular people.

Even when I run into someone from high school I'm hardly remembered.

But college, well, I was big in college. I was 30 years old when I went to college, though I looked like I was 20. I had confidence in myself, I had to, I was raising 3 children as a single mom. I was so into being the best student possible that I made a name for myself and my professors knew me.

Anyway, I've been living in my new house, in this new state, since January. That's 9 months now.

And this is a very, very small town. And it has been difficult to adjust after living in fast-paced New York. And just going to get something from the local store is an hour adventure. And getting a hero from a deli, well, you just can't do that here. Pastrami on rye is just not done here.

I hope you are all sitting down for this one:

Fashion and fine dining is no big deal here either. And I love fashion and fine dining.

The women are very friendly and very busy getting their children to and from sports events.

And, well, I haven't made a 'best friend' yet.

But I think that's about to change because a few days ago I briefly met someone, Peggy.

Peggy moved to this town last month from NY. She's all about NY. She's having trouble adjusting to this small town, although, like me, she loves it here. She has twins, a boy and girl, just like me.

We are getting together for lunch on Monday and I'm so excited. I just hope, hope, hope that we are not sitting there uncomfortably, not knowing what to say.

My goodness, I feel like I'm going on a date.

I guess in a way I am.

And I'm a bit nervous.

I'm just hoping that it all turns out okay, because I could use a real live friend lives who here.

Build a Better Mouse Trap and the World will Beat It's Way to Your Door.

I HATE mice.



There I said it.



They have hearts, lungs, kidneys, eyes, ears.....things that normal bugs and insects just don't have.



Lions and tigers have hearts, lungs, kidneys, eyes, ears and you don't see them breaking into your house sneaking around, scampering across your kitchen floor while you let out a blood-curdling scream which causes your loved ones to run to you expecting to see that you just accidentally cut a limb off- do you?



Because I live in a wetland area, white-footed deer mice enter the neighborhood houses around this time of the year to settle in for the cold winter.



Last year we hired a mouse expert to get rid of them.



For $300 he threw packets of poison in the attic and basement. He then proceeded to give us extensive medical and nutritional advice in a very low Southern accent for over an hour. If anything it was entertaining. And expensive. And unsolicited.



And when the mice died, they died in the walls, which smelled awful.



This year I'm taking a different, less expensive route....with plain old, run-of-the-mill, mouse traps.





One down.

Let this be a warning to all mice, Yew Nork Babe's got her game on!

This post is written on behalf of my sister.

A few weeks ago her 3 year old foster son, the child she was about to adopt the following Monday, lit a small fire in her kitchen while she was using the bathroom. At the time, her foster son was watching TV in the livingroom and she did not think it would be a problem if she closed the bathroom door for a quick few minutes.

When she got out of the bathroom, he was still sitting on the couch, so she felt good that all was well. Unfortunately she found out a little later on that he had gone into the kitchen and quickly lit something and threw it in a drawer.

This could have happened to anybody.

The agency immediately took her son away. She is heartbroken. This child has been in her care since he was 4 months old. He was a crack baby. She spend most of his baby years rocking him as he painfully withdrew from the drugs his birthmother so carelessly put into his body as he was being formed.

He has behavioral problems, but he also is the exact opposite - he is the most loving, kind, playful, adorable, cute as a button boy you'd ever want to meet.

He is a part of her family and ours. Now he is somewhere, we don't know. He just celebrated his 4th birthday without her, without his friends, without anyone familiar to him.

And she's heartbroken. It is going to take at least a year for her to fight to get him back. The agency is saying that she should not have left him out of her sight for those few minutes. She is a single mom and has an older daughter that she adopted.

What she wants is for a family to adopt him now, so that he wouldn't be shuffled around from foster home to foster home.

If anyone knows of a family that would love a beautiful boy, please contact me at:

thuth@hotmail.com

My Life Updated:

Firstly, My husband can breathe now. We are all done with the plague and the plague is all done with us.




Secondly, I went to visit my parents in South Carolina recently for a family reunion of sorts....all of us children got together. (Except one brother.)



My mom took up a strange hobby when she retired, she shoots pistols. She also packs one in her purse which is kind of scary.




While I was there, my sister was telling me a funny story about when she and my mother went to a shooting range recently and the manager of the range was showing my sister how to shoot. He left them both alone together in the same cubby to shoot at the targets.



During that time my mom had an itch on her back so she reached under her shirt and scratched it.



Later on the manager came back to check on them and panicked. He apologized over and over again to them saying, "I'm so sorry, nothing like this ever happened before." My sister and mother were confused. He was about to call an ambulance when my sister looked at my mom's back and saw a perfectly round blood stain spreading. It looked like she had been shot, when in fact, she just scratched open a scab. They all got a good laugh.

During the visit I got to see my little nieces from Colorado, my baby brother's children. It was so wonderful to see them, I don't get to see them too often. Whenever I go to Colorado I find if very difficult to breathe. That and the fact that I don't possess the funds I used to so I can't just travel across the country whenever I'd like.



My youngest niece, age 4, looks and acts exactly like me. In fact, when I was younger I used to suck on my left index finger upside down. She does the same thing! You wouldn't think that something like that passes on through genes, right? Weird. Looking at her was like looking at a mirror 46 years ago.



So my family and I went to sit by the ocean one day. I really miss the ocean now that I live in Northern Connecticut. It was so relaxing and beautiful.



My littlest niece (the clone of me) got a little sunburn. When we got back to my parent's condo my mom said she had something to help sooth the burn. She slathered on some cream and my niece started complaining about it. When my sister-in-law looked closely at the bottle of cream my mom used she quickly washed it off. My mom had put on hair remover. Ouch! She won't have to worry about any unsightly back hair for awhile.



Lastly, my daughter and her fiance came to visit this weekend and she helped fix my header and give me a new look. Yeah!

Finally, Yew Nork Babe has her head back.

He can't breathe

Yesterday I attempted to work a full day at the Court, but I only lasted 3 hours. This plague is very clingy...it won't let go.

I've shared it with my husband and he's been in bed for 2 days repeating the same phrase over and over again, "I can't breathe, I can't breathe". While I was at work yesterday he e-mailed me "Dear Wife, I can't breathe", just so I'd remember that he can't breathe.

I'm going to make another batch of my Famous Matzoh Ball Soup this afternoon.

Here's the recipe if you'd like. It's a secret recipe from my Jewish Mother's Aunt Rose, so shhhhhh:

2 chicken breasts, bone intact
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1 heart of celery
4 carrots
3/4 cup of fresh parsley, stems removed
enough chicken broth to cover chicken and a few inches more- or use water and chicken bouillon (Knorrs bouillon is the best)
black pepper to taste
Matzoh meal

Put everything in the pot and boil, turn to simmer for one hour then remove the chicken, take it off the bone and put the chicken back in the pot.

Keep the soup simmering while the matzoh balls are being made. The recipe for matzoh balls is always on the package and if you can find the kind that is just matzoh meal and not matzoh ball mix it tastes better.

And just in case you can't find Matzoh Meal in your local store, you may take some dry macaroni, put it in a ziploc bag and break it up in little and big pieces and add that.

Enjoy!

I have to go check on my poor husband now....I hear him mumbling something about not being able to breathe.

I have the plague. And I'm under the influence of Heavy Duty Over the Counter Drugs....for grown ups! Usually, I take a children's dose of something and I'm knocked unconscious for 12 hours straight. I tried that this time but the plague just laughed and said,"Yeah right". So out came the big stuff, along with the hallucinations. The last thing I remember last night was Michael Phelps teaching me to swim the breast-stroke.

This plague started on Friday with a sore throat of epic proportions. A fever followed that had me hot and freezing cold at the same time. My husband said that last night the neighbors knocked on our door asking me to stop the snoring already....he kids.

I've been in bed for two days straight.

Even my famous 'Matzoh Ball Soup That Cures All' hasn't worked.

There is no way I can make it to work today, so I'm staying home.

Hopefully, I can reunite with Michael Phelps so he can show me some more swimming pointers or he'll introduce me to his mom.....I'm going back to bed now.

Today if my Father-in-Law's 71st Birthday.....Happy Birthday Dad.

My husband and I have written and sent out all of our wedding thank you notes weeks ago, yet there is one more to write, my father-in-law's. Every time I start to write it, I don't even know where begin. He has been so generous, so helpful, so supportive, always there when we need him, always praying for us and making us laugh.

There aren't any proper words to use in writing the note that even come close to how grateful we are for him - and all he's done for our wedding.

All I have so far is 'Dear Dad'.......

So the card sits on my dresser and stares at me, daring me to finish.

Labor Day ReCap

To celebrate Labor Day, we decided to rent a canoe and paddle around Lake Pocotopaug, East Hampton, CT. The lake is pronounced 'poke-a-tee-pog' and, like all good lakes, has a few Indian legends behind it.

As we got closer to the lake I noticed white caps, which indicated that it was too windy outside for a canoe ride. I wasn't about to be all involved with a tipped over canoe, especially after just reading 'The Shack'.

So my husband suggested watching the boaters put their boats in the lake. "How uninteresting", I thought. But the kids seemed okay with that.

We sat at the boat docking beach and watched.

And yes, it was very entertaining, I imagine more so due to the wind factor.

I've never had the pleasure of having to un-hook a boat from a boat-trailer....or try to back up a truck with a trailor attached into a lake, but yes indeed they do make for funny scenes to watch.

How did you spend your Labor Day?

The Shack

The Shack by William P. Young.

Have you read it yet?

If not, what are you waiting for?

It's an experience where you get to know God in a more personal level, as our Father, surrounding us in his pure love.

I feel so blessed to have read it.

True to Form

I survived the commissary trip, though the Navy guys barely did.

First I had to find the right gate to get the proper sticker for my truck. I asked a nice uniformed, armed man how to get there and he wanted to know my husband's rank. Just like that.

I thought that was a bit intrusive of him yet I answered.

Well, the royal treatment is what I got.

He sent a young soldier to walk in front of me as I followed in my truck to the correct building to get a sticker. I thanked the young soldier and wanted so badly to ask him to 'drop and give me 20', just for the fun of it, but I held my tongue.

My husband could care less about ranks, he has got to be the most down to earth person I've ever met.

After waiting on a small line, I got to meet another Navy guy who was very helpful with the stickers.....all four of them. He showed me how to assemble them on the counter and told me where to put them on my windshield.

IT WAS VERY CONFUSING!

I asked him to show me again and he gladly did.

But when I got outside to my truck, I accidentally ripped one of the important stickers in half. I put it on anyway just like that. There was no way I was going to go back in there and let them know that I was the ditsy wife of someone they obviously had a lot of respect for.

My husband laughed when he saw my truck and told me that I was going to have problems getting through military gates with the torn sticker on my windshield.

Anyway, the commissary was amazing!

It is a grocery store with everything a regular grocery store has, except the prices are really low. And, to my amazement, I was able to buy our favorite orange juice without having to take out a second mortgage.

And there was a mall upstairs! And they sold Coach handbags! And designer shoes! And a food court!

Yes, it was all worth the stress. I just hope they let me back in next week.

Left Right Left

Today for the first time I am going to take a trip to the military commissary, after the contractors get here that is. It is about an hour's drive from our house.



I've been a bit anxious about the trip because it will be the first time as a military wife that I am doing something that a military wife does. When I get there I have to go to a special gate and get my truck regsitered and stickered up. That may not seem like a big thing, but for some reason and I can't figure out why, it is a big thing for me.



So last night I had one of my famous dreams. "They" say that dreams are ways your mind helps you deal with the stresses you are going through. For me, they are the opposite.



In this dream I took a trip to the Naval Base (My husband is in the Air Force and National Guard, but the commissary is at the Naval Base) and accidentally, yes, accidentally, as if it could be at all possible, signed up to join the National Guard.





In the next scene of my dream I was at boot camp, running around, jumping over ditches, climbing walls and dropping and doing 50. I was not in shape so I was getting yelled at a lot for not being able to keep up with the rest of the young people. Unfortunately I was my actual age in this dream, almost 50, which made it all even more frustrating.

I'd never be able to walk in those boots, where's the 4 inch heel?

At least I was wearing lipstick.

In the next scene I was assigned to my husband's unit and was standing next to him as I was getting yelled at by his commanding officer who was a woman. I kept screaming back at her, "YES SIR" and getting in more trouble because I was supposed to scream, "YES MAME" or something equivalent indicating that she was a woman. I couldn't get it straight and I kept trying to explain that I'm new to this all and if she was a judge I'd know what to call her, "Madam Justice", "Your Honor", "Judge". She didn't give me a chance to explain and my husband could only look straight ahead at attention.



Then I woke up.



And now I am even more anxious about shopping at the commissary.



So if I don't return - you all know what happened.



Please tell my husband I love him and I'll see him right after boot camp.

Who needs stupid geckos?

Oh my land, I'm about to go through a nighmarish experience once again, I've been through it before in my old house and I spent the whole time freaking out, now it's gonna happen again....I'm going to be without a kitchen for the next month or two. I'm happy and freaking out at the same time.

It all started when my kitchen floor started warping awhile back....I didn't think much of it because it was humid outside and I know that the former owners put the floor in themselves. And from some of the other projects they did around here, it is obvious that home improvement wasn't their thing. Like, for instance, when the kitchen cabinet with the glass door fell off the wall, or when the bathroom medicine cabinet pulled away from the wall.

So, I just thought that I was going to have to replace the vinyl tiles sooner or later because they weren't installed correctly.

But then we noticed a small puddle of water in the basement under the kitchen area. The dishwasher was leaking water under the kitchen floor.

So I called my insurance agent and lo and behold, they ordered a restoration company to come and dry up the kitchen and then a contracting company to tear the kitchen down and rebuild it.

I love State Farm Insurance.

But I do not like being kitchenless.

Anyone who knows me knows that I practically live in my kitchen. It's where I find peace. I love to cook and bake and whenever I am going through a tough time, you'll usually find me cooking or baking up a storm.

Today State Farm came out and approved everything, even a food allowance, if necessary, for having to eat meals away from home. And an hour later the restoration company came, they still are here, drying up the kitchen and basement. There are fans a blowing and dehumidifiers sucking up air all over the place.

So you can have that gecko, the cavemen and all those other insurance companies....I'm sticking with State Farm, 'cause....

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Sad News.

A friend of ours has suddenly passed away. He was young and a father of four, the youngest only 3 months old.

He took his children to Chuck E. Cheese on Monday and collapsed, they were unable to revive him.

It is so sad for everyone in our small town.

Jon coached basketball and soccer and was a positive influence on hundreds of children lives. I don't think any child in this town doesn't have a picture of him in one of their team photographs.

If you can, please remember his family in prayer, for his two older teenager girls who have been struggling and for his younger children who are unable to understand all that is going on.

Thank you.

Hot Pants

I'm loving being married and all the 'fun' rights that come with that.

Now that we are married, being able to exercise some of the things that have been stored away in my mind for years has and continues to be 'fun'.

Yet, no matter how hard I try, I'm still a klutz of magnitude proportion.

Take for instance, the other night when in an effort to be all romantic and sultry-like, I lit a candle and later nearly lit the bedroom ablaze when I threw my husband's 'drawers' across the room. They landed right on top of the candle and started smoking.

Of course I put the fire out quickly, but it took a long time to stop laughing.

element

We celebrated my step-son's 11th birthday yesterday.

And I surprised him with his favorite strawberry shortcake....with a twist....the Element logo. He's all about skateboarding lately.

What a special child this boy is.

He struggles; he overcomes.

He adapts to two separate lives, even though his nature is to thrive in predictability and constants.

He obeys with out complaint, even though he wants to be mischievous.

At night he struggles to sleep, he is prone to insomnia. When his dad puts to bed, he takes off the shirt he's been wearing all day and gives it to him to sleep with. My step-son puts it on, snuggles it and dreams of being able to grow up to be just like him.

And I watch in awe at this father and son's love for each other that is so strong and solid. And I'm so blessed to be a part of all of this love.

Let the rain pour

We were driving together as the gentle rain fell, Pookie and I. During times like these, when it's just her and I, she tends to open up and tells me of the things that run around her head. And I love it ....and her.

It brings me back to when my children were teenagers and our car rides with their heartbreaking drama that didn't seem so heartbreaking by the end of our drive. Sometimes just listening to them talk about their problems would help them figure it all out themselves. They still do that these days, even though they are well past their teenage years.

She was sitting in the passenger side of my truck, excitedly telling me of the newest drama with her and her friends when in mid-sentence she stopped and asked, "Theresa, do you hear that?"

"What?", I asked.

"Oh my gosh, THAT, want is that noise?", she asked again, as she folded herself frontwards to look on the floor of the front seat.

"I don't hear anything, what is the noise?", I asked.

She looked all around.

"You've got to hear it!!!! I'M NOT CRAZY!!!! ", she screamed.

More searching. And then.....

"Theresa, it's....it's..........oh, it's the windshield wipers...."

We laughed until the tears started falling.

"You've got to blog this.", she said and then continued where she left off talking about the important things that are going on that are shaping her into a remarkable, intelligent and beautiful young lady.