Summer Reading Program

One thing that I just love about the summer is a good summer reader. And that's what I've been busy doing during my free time.

I guess it started when my mom used to sign me up every summer at the local library for the Summer Reading Program. I would escape into a book everyday leaving behind the abnormal childhood that constantly loomed over me. Getting awards for reading the most books made me feel acknowledged, like I actually existed. Hmmmm, maybe that's where I began my life long obsession with competitiveness.

Anyway, I've wanted to read "The Devil Wears Prada" for the past few years, but never got around to it until recently when I saw that the movie came out. So naturally, I was forced to read the book because don't you just hate it when you see a movie first that was made from a book and then you read the book?. It's never the same because the characters you imagine in your mind are preconceived.

The book was great though, now I will go see the movie....maybe tonight. I’m sure Meryl Streep will be amazing.

After I finished "The Devil Wears Prada" on Sunday, I began reading "Water for Elephants". I am enthralled! This book has everything I love in a book. I have 2 more chapters and then it's done. I’m trying to savor them.

So, quick, I need to find some more books for my summer reading fix. Do you have any good ideas?

The Last Story About the Boxers, I Promise

Sorry everyone, I've been so very busy here at work and fighting a speeding ticket...I'll explain later.

It seems like I have lots of explaining to do about the boxer shorts incident.

Well, first, before I hung them up as a 4th of July decoration, I checked and made sure they were free of any holes and skid marks....thanks for asking.

The famous boxers belong to my daughter's boyfriend of 2 years. It seems they were going to the beach last week and he changed into a bathing suit, leaving them in her hamper. She washed them with some towels and that's how I found them in the dryer.

My daughter will be 26 years old next week, if she makes it, because right now I debating whether or not I would be aquitted for murder based on her not letting her dog out this morning before work and not putting him in his kennel which caused lots of pooping and peeing on my livingroom carpet. And, I'm not cleaning it up! (I stopped by my house during my lunch break) A jury of my peers would be sympathetic, I'm sure.

The good news is that (even though she doesn't know this yet) IF I let her live a brand new carpet WILL be installed - at her expense.

The way I figure, I got myself out of a speeding ticket in Connecticut Criminal Court yesterday (I was not going as fast as the officer said I was), why not continue one step further and try a murder charge?

Enjoy your children when they are young, 'nuff said.

Boxers

The mystery is solved.

Those red, white and blue boxer shorts, size XXL, that I found in my dryer and hung outside as a 4th of July decoration belong to my daugher's boyfriend.

He walked into the backyard after everyone left and looked up and saw them hanging there and asked, "What are my underwear doing out here?"

My question to him is: "What are your underwear doing in my dryer?"

Hmmmmm.

4th of July Update

While I was shopping for the party today I decided to jazz it up by getting a kiddy pool for the kiddies.




Then I decorated the backyard a bit. I'm not sure whose boxer briefs these are, all I know is that they came out of the dryer this morning and I thought they would make a great 4th of July decoration!




Then I put up a nylon tent over the patio and presto, chango....we had a great party. I also bought bubbles and candy necklaces for the kids.


Me and my sister made a blueberry/peach cobbler that was yummy.

A fun time was had by all...and you all were right, we made our own fun memories.

Hope you all had as much fun as we did.





Oh yeah, and her new boyfriend is a sweetheart.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July.

Today I'm having my sister Lynda over with her children and her new boyfriend, whom I haven't met yet. I'm going to have a barbeque....that's about it. Capt and his kids are here. One of these days I'm going to go with them since they spend most of the summer there. I'm just not the rollercoaster-type chick...but the lazy river ride looks like my speed.

The 4th of July used to be so much fun when our older sister lived on Long Island. She used to throw the best parties...she would plan them all year long and put her heart into each little detail.

So, in comparison, my little bbq never seems like a big deal and the only thing I look forward to is seeing my neices and nephews (whom I adore)....and eating blueberry pie.

Mindi and her former husband used to own a house with an inground pool, she'd plan water polo games, water basketball games and stuff like that. My children have the best childhood memories of these parties.

Sometimes Mindi would have whole lobster on the bbq. Each year there would be shrimp, filet mignon, hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs....everyone would bring something too. And there would be about 100 people that would come. A couple of people would bring chili and we would all sample different types of chili. There would be so much great food!

There would be lots of games too. We would sit around in little groups playing board games. The men would play horseshoes or Bocee ball. At night the fireworks would come out. They used to go on and on for hours. No one ever wanted to leave. Mindi would throw the best party ever, everyone looked forward to them.

In comparision, my 4th of July bbq's aren't as exciting. There's no pool at my house, no kid games, no horseshoes. (uggh, I don't even have an umbrella for my picnic table) And I know that we will be sitting around reminising about the best 4th of July parties ever.

Well, I'm on my way to the supermarket now to get some odds and ends to pull off this bbq at 2pm. I know we will have a good time, we always do, but there always is this sadness that looms over us all on the 4th of July, it's a feeling like there's something missing and we all want to find it again.

I want to thank all the people who fought/fight for our country, dedicating your lives so that we can be free.

And I'm wondering what are you all doing to celebrate today?

Today's Dilemma

We went to the racetrack last night to see car racing, Capt, PookieBear, Boy and me. It was thrilling and very, very loud. Capt looked like an interested spectator most of the time but when police car demolition time came around, he was standing up and acting all rednecky....I had more fun watching him during that hour than I had the whole time.

They were visiting me this weekend. PookieBear (10) and I had our nails done at a VIP Nails (She insisted that it’s pronounced Vip instead of V.I.P. Nails, she is so adorable) and I got a full set of Pink and White (which, by the way, makes it difficult to type with), while Capt and Boy went to see a movie.

We had an early dinner and drove out to the Riverhead Raceway. A friend of mine is a racecar driver and he and his wife gave us the royal treatment. Boy got to sit in the race car. Unfortunately my camera battery died and I couldn’t take a picture of the most adorable awestruck little boy I ever saw! His eyes got so big I thought they would easily fall out of their sockets. And how would we have explained that one to his mom?

We were out very, very late.

They went to bed upstairs in my bedroom and I slept downstairs on the couch. But at around midnight they left....I’m not sure why. Boy got dressed and walked outside into his dad’s car and wouldn’t talk to me about it. PookieBear was crying and trying to write a goodbye letter to my children. Capt wasn’t offering much info, so I went upstairs and gave them two of my pillows so the kids could sleep in the car during the 2.5 mile drive home. I was half asleep so that’s all I remember.

Sometimes Boy is difficult to handle. He suffers from ADHD. He has an exceptionally good heart. The combination is baffling at times because he is so sweet and obedient. Maybe all the excitement was too much for him?

Not that I don’t care, but from my experience with Capt and his kids, I’m going to just let it go and wait until Capt is free to call me to explain why they abruptly left. There's no sense in trying to figure it out or obsessing over it (even though my daughter thinks it must be something I did. Hey, I wasn't even up there!)

Now as for me, I have the whole day to myself...and I’m going to enjoy it lounging around on my patio reading a book and napping. My only dilemma today is my folding lounger..... you see, I like to sit up and read, but as I get sleepy from reading I want to just put the book down and nod off, but in order to get the lounger down, I have to get off and fold in back and push it the other way, it ‘s not as much fun as just resting the book on my chest and nodding off, but hey, I’m still in my pajamas and it’s 1pm! How awesome is that? As far as I’m concerned, this is heaven because for today my life is simple and I’m going to enjoy it by vegging out.

update: Capt called, it was Boy's anxiety kicking in, he had to be home so Boy could be in familar surroundings to calm down. Capt sure has a lot to deal with and he does it better than I ever could.