Day 39, going on vacation

We are leaving her alone this weekend, she has the house all to herself. She may not even realize she is by herself. We haven't seen or talked to her for a couple days, and she may not remember or realize that we are going to Chattanooga for a few days. Lizard will keep an eye on the house and the feeshes for us.

I was really dreading this trip at first, because I find it so hard to forget about work, to let it go. But I spent a couple extra hours there tonight, wrapping things up, so I could truly leave it for a couple days. You know, I try to make it a point to not really talk about work here. But that explains why my blogging has been lacking in content lately. My whole life revolves around that W word. Or shall I say that SCAD word. The past couple weeks have been really tough, too. Two rolling heads in as many weeks. It puts everyone on edge. So I'm just glad to have finished up my week and have four days of nothing to look forward to. Hello vacation!!!

So I'm really looking forward to a few days of just doing whatever, and being spontaneous. No schedules, no meetings, no alarm clocks. Hanging out with friends, drinking, eating, spending time with my boys and being silly. And not having to clean the f'ing house. Please don't call me unless you're on fire. Even then, just call 911.

Day 41

Interesting... she was very excited today to be meeting up with her "favorite marine", a.k.a. the boy she was engaged to for three weeks. I wonder if the ring will reappear.

Day 47

Will there be an appropriate punishment for leaving the flat iron on (AGAIN) before she ends up burning the house down? I doubt it. At least we have good homeowners insurance.

48 days

To _________,

I do not appreciate seeing your bikini top, encrusted with a rhinestone-studded playboy bunny, while your pants are so low, that I am about to catch a peek at the tattoo that you should not have, and that I wish to not know about. Please wear appropriate clothing at all times.

Thank you.
mom

49

Day 49. Took off a half day off to help Stevie work on his resume. But while I sat alongside him, lending support, I also processed a dozen expense reports. Work never stops. Then I took Sammy to his practice game. Sand gnat central. Sammy didn't do so well. Choke-n-poke, he needs to learn what that means. With a full count, you don't wait for another ball. He'll figure it out. At least he's fast... really fast.

Day 50

Its official. Today begins the 50 day countdown 'til E goes to basic training. 50 days can be a long time when you're pissed off. I just get kinda really mad when she leaves a note on the door to "please let Esther sleep", but she makes sure to leave a load of laundry outside her door, in the hallway. Apparently, this is a hotel. Please do not disturb the princess. But hopefully...my days will whiz by, and I will be surprised that the time passed so quickly. 50 days and counting...

On a side note. I am mesmerized by the baseball coach. He is totally hot and has very beautiful children. Met the wife, and she is very sweet and giving, despite her large hair. Damnit! OMG, thru the magic of the internet, I have discovered that he is a REVEREND. I bet he does not appreciate sinners.

catchup, ketchup, catsup

Well, two months goes by, and I don't have much to show for it. I did get that treadmill and downloaded Puddle of Mudd to my ipod, but I haven't given up the Pinot. Flavor of the moment, Twisted Pig. I bought it only because I liked the name, but it turned out to be a good one. I am running on a sporadic basis, and its helping the stress levels. Which is good, because I need all the help I can get. Actually, I think I need to jump on the treadmill right now. I've got a headache that won't go away, and my neurologist is pretty sure that they are stress-induced.

E is doing better. She came to her senses, left the boy, moved back home, and will be going to basic training on May 8. The countdown begins. She has been assigned her job, air traffic controller. Awesome! I am very glad that she is taking a better path in life, but damn, she makes me nervous.

Work is tough. I find myself having to make ethical decisions on a daily basis. What is the right, what is wrong. I think I have a good moral compass, but its just a lot of pressure. Run, Kimmy, run!

And the rest of the circus... Stevie is working some crazy overtime right now, lots of planes. And he wants me to help him re-do his resume, to post for a nice little promotion. The boys are both doing their sports now, another hockey season for Charlie, and a first attempt at baseball for Sammy. I've been really proud of his effort, and his natural athletic skill is apparent. Well, except for the time he took a fly ball to the schnoz. Luckily it didn't break, but there was definitely some blood. Papa is terribly grumpy lately. He had shoulder surgery and is tired of having his arm in a sling. He just wants to get back on the golf course, but his physical therapist said he would have to wait about 5 more months for that. Oh, and the twins... we've practically adopted Charlie's friends, Zaak and Ouzal. Sweet boys, I think I will keep them.

Oh, but a break is on the horizon. We're planning a little mini vacation up to Chattanooga, to go to the aquarium. A long weekend, and we're meeting our friends Tonia and Eric up there. I can't wait, I need a diversion!

Request for a date

BTW, Steve West, the only person in the living world who reads my blog... I know I totally bailed on you the last time I was in the ATL... but I'll be there this coming weekend, Thursday night thru Sunday morning. Let's set up a time and place beforehand, okay? Coffee, dinner, whatever. It's on me.

Day 6

We're all very sad now. No one's sure of what to say, or how to feel. Even Charlie is out-0f-sorts. He is always my rock, Mr. Perfect, but today he had a melt-down. He sulked, he went into a rage and threw things, he cried and then slept under a bed. We are all very disappointed and feeling rejected. So now I want a treadmill. I want to strap on my headphones, listen to Puddle of Mudd, and run until I puke. I think I'll just drink some more Pinot.

But on the bright side...
My hairdresser is totally awesome, and he always puts me in a good mood. He's a hair master, a shrink, and a total hotty, all rolled into one. Too bad I'm too old for him!

I also got an email from my old dancing partner on the island, Sergio, who just finished remodeling his house, so he sent me some pictures. WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? SER-GI-O! SER-GI-O! It's so nice to hear from old friends!!!

Day 5 of 2007

And today, while we were at work, she packed up her things and moved away. She left a note on the counter.

Day 4 of 2007

Today we were informed that she was fired from her job.

3 days down, 362 to go... Lord help me!

Well, thanks to the big E, 2007 is off to a roaring start!
Ugh... where do I begin?! Honestly, this one is a doozy, so as is my style, I'll spew just to get it off my chest, but with brevity...

• E was not doing well in school, so we felt it best to pull the plug before another $10,000 was spent on another semester.
• The following week, she was going to enlist in the Air Force and it seemed like a great fit... she scored a 92 on her ASVAB, ensuring her of a great career field, and she seemed totally focused.
• Two weeks later, after a nice Christmas, winding down the holidays, her ex-boyfriend/friend/maybe boyfriend again comes for a visit, and the next thing you know, she's got a ring and he's asking for her hand in marriage. Active duty Air Force is now not an option.
• Throw in some attitude, some tears and some illegal drug use, and quite honestly, I don't know what the f*** the outcome is.
• I do know that wine is now my best friend.

So, if you see me around this week, please oh pete, DO NOT ask me if I had a good New Year's!

Blah!

I stayed home sick today. I feel like dog-doo. hack hack hack hack SNORT!

The twelve days of Christmas

How funny... twelve days before Christmas, my neighbor and good friend, "Lizard" started getting odd items left on her porch. Each item is supposed to symbolize one of the twelve days of Christmas and each one has a cute little note attached with ribbon. For instance, the gift for a partridge in a pear tree was a can of pears. The gift for two turtle doves was a box of turtle chocolate candies with a Dove soap bar taped on top. So I'm thinking, WOW, what a cute idea... I wish I had thought of that. The funny part, is that Lizard thinks that I AM the responsible party. She is convinced that it's me, she says I'm the only one she knows who is creative enough to do that. Um, pardon me, do you actually KNOW me?! Really, thanks for the props, but I'm not creative. Just because I work at an art school, does not creative make. But in her mind, further proof that it is me... on the fourth day of Christmas, her secret santa didn't leave anything. And of course, Lizard was with me most of the day, so she figures that I couldn't leave anything on her porch because we were together. I'm just thinking that if her secret santa never reveals herself, then I'm going to get a lot of credit for this one!

The week in review

• I've had to be a hard-ass at work and lecture my troops. Which, if you know me, and know that I make a joke out of everything, you also know that it's hard for me to come off as halfway serious, let alone threatening.
• I actually had someone break down in tears during a teleconference, rendering me speechless. I still don't know what to say about it.
• I was approached to fill an even higher position at work, but I only gave it a second's consideration, because I finally believe in what I'm doing.
• When I had to draw for secret santas today, I chose the name of a person that I often cannot remember because I only refer to her as "Fraggle Rock".
• I made travel arrangements to go to a conference in Nashville, Tennessee, somewhere that I have never been.
• My twelve-year-old son confided to me that he has started shaving. I'm not sure what, though.
• My daughter announced to us that she is quitting college and enlisting in the Air Force.
• Every day I realize that my youngest son is actually the clone of all my most annoying habits. No wonder I think he's so cool!

What does next week have in store for me? Lord only knows... I just hope I can finish the Christmas shopping!

unintended hiatus

Wow, I didn't expect to be gone from blogging for this long. I like blogging. I like the purging feeling it gives me of letting everything go, laying it all out on paper (or the screen), and being done with it. I like focusing on the funny little things that happen everyday. And I like sharing stuff with my friends who read this thing, all three of you. I like blogging, until stuff starts happening that is so far beyond my control, that I don't even know what to say. And that has been the last two months. I still don't really know what to say. But I guess I need to get it out there. So, in just a few words: my mom died of lung and brain cancer a few weeks ago, my daughter is quitting college to enlist in the Air Force, and I got a big promotion into a position that I know nothing about. Cool. That's out of the way now.

Not a joke...

Q: What do you get when you put a muddy 120 lb. labrador retriever into a MINI Cooper?

A: A BIG FU**** MESS!!!

Boys' rooms makeovers

Since the big girl went off to school, Charlie decided to claim her vacant room, and Sam's room needed some overhauling, as well. So after a long trip to Ikea, 3 weeks of battling with Ikea's customer service, some paint, some good ideas, and a whole lotta work, the boys' rooms are finally done. Here are the results... (Charlie's room is the blue & green one, Sammy's is red & black.)

Kitty update

It was becoming more and more evident that this kitty already has another home, not mine. So we returned to the scene of the crime, and drove around the surrounding neighborhoods, looking for kitty-wanted posters. We didn't see anything until we went back to the shopping center where we first found him. And there was his picture, splashed across the front doors of Pet Smart. It turns out his name is Luey. And he is now safe and sound back with his owners. Case solved.

What's in a name?

OMG, the stress!!! For years, I have been bitching about the fact that out of all our pets, I have not had the privilege of naming ANY of them. Not the cats, the dogs, the goats, the bunny, the ducks, the chickens, NONE OF THEM! So finally, I find a cat, a wonderful, lovable kitty, and I get to name it, because hey, I found it! But I am finding it just about impossible to come up with the perfect name. Hell, I'm finding it impossible to come up with anything somewhat suitable. Yeah, I know, I said I was going to call it Depot, but ummmm... this cat is too pretty to have a goofy name like that. But at the same time, I don't want to give it a foo-foo name, because really, I'm not that kind of girl. So please, if you have any suggestions, please send them on. I would like to give it a name that symbolizes where I found it (Home Depot, in the green house, behind the bean pots). And yes, I have already thought of calling him "Beans," but again, it just doesn't seem to fit. Oh, and one last thing, he is one step away from being called "Gary," from the SpongeBob cartoon, as suggested by my lovable son and hubbie, but I absolutely protest this name, so PLEASE help me come up with something different! Here's some kitty pix to give you some inspiration...