Archive for October, 2009

Murder and Mayhem

Friday, October 30th, 2009

 

Watching the news has become dangerous.  Murder, mayhem and financial ruin.  People doing the unthinkable who are surprised by the reactions of others.  I certainly don’t hold myself up as some type of paragon, and God knows I’ve done some bad things.  But never without a sense of shame.  I suppose that’s why I immerse myself in books so often.  It deadens the din of reality.

 

I do however, count my blessing daily.  Despite the fact that unemployment has been no stranger to our family and extended family, we’re all getting by.  What health issues there may be are being addressed.  There is love and laughter in our daily lives.  We’ve mastered the art of being able to be quite angry with loved ones while still loving them.

 

The biggest joy of all are the “littles” in our lives.  That phrase was coined by my nieces, and consists of the next generation of kids in the family.  For me it’s two great nephews, two great nieces and the baby boy of my baby sister, and a grand baby to be.  So this blog post started on a downer, and ended with an upper.  And I’m very grateful for that, too.

Bus Stop Mommies

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

 

This past Friday we had a meeting of 4 “bus stop Mommies”.  We are each in our 40’s or 50’s, and among us we have 10 kids. We’ve known each other a longgggggggggggg time.  We remember each other’s pregnancies, did the play group thing before the kids were old enough to be in school and remember the various ups and downs of daily parenting.

 

It was held at my house and involved NO cooking.  We ate pizza and fruit salad (for virtue) and baked goods for the hell of it.   We shared both joys and heart break, impending grandparenthood and serious illness.  We laughed until our eyes were teary.  One incident involved a husband and 21 years of pork chops.  Guess you had to be there!  Three of us woman are out in the work place, and one of us is “at home”.  We noted with amazement that each of us are in long term marriages, ranging from 20 something up to 35 years.

 

Telling our husbands to figure out what to do about dinner and carving out a few hours of female bonding and bitching was wonderful.  We vowed to do it again, and not let so much time pass next time around.  It will, of course, be too long.  But we will do it again and enjoy every moment of it.

 

More about who is reproducing next spring at a future date. Spring can’t arrive too soon for me!  ‘Bye for now……

 

Fun with hearing loss announcement;   Why was that perky voiced weather reporter reminding people not to forget to have their reindeer ready for the next day?  Okay, I realized shortly thereafter that it was rain gear they were discussing.  But hey, it sent me off to bed with a bit of a chuckle.  Some days that’s the most we can expect…

 

 

 

Too Much Reality TV !

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

 

Could we have a little less reality please?  If I hear the term “balloon boy” one more time, I’ll run screaming into the street.  Clue to his mother and father; if your child pukes (twice) from being dragged to yet another news show, maybe it’s time to take him home !  From where I sit, it looks like child abuse.

 

Has anyone out there had this experience?  You’re at a Doctor’s office, and they give you 73 papers to fill out.  One of them is their “privacy policies”.  Who they can and can’t release info to, how they will handle requests, etc.  Then while you’re in the little cubicle waiting for the Doctor, you hear all sorts of medical details about the person in the next cubicle.  Stuff you really didn’t need to know, or want to know. Are we having fun yet?

Big Hair, Job Market, etc.

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

 

Things learned in the late 80’s early 90’s.  There is such a thing as hair that is “too big” and when combined with shoulder pads, it’s enough to send you running for the paper shredder with your photos.

 

The job market.  The phrase alone is scary.  Young people who just finished college along with people in their 40’s and 50’s scrambling for something, and working at anything.  Companies downsizing and consolidating.  The only thing scarier than knowing we are not alone is our time of trouble, is knowing we are not alone in our time of trouble.  Think about it.

 

 

OKAY, ENOUGH!!!   Political incorrectness alert!!  How about some “fun with hearing loss”?

 

Compliments of my oldest brother, the Viet Nam veteran.  All that night time bombing:

 

I think it may have been a song by the Spinner’s.  You know, the one that has the line “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone”  It was quite some time before he realized they weren’t saying “I can see Shirley now, Lorraine is gone”.  And no, I am not making that up!  Then there was the one that I can’t even find the words to explain that involved the phrases “cell phone” and “snow cone”.

 

Have to go……………

 

That 70’s Reunion !

Friday, October 16th, 2009

 

We went, we saw, we spoke and we lived to tell about it!  It was almost too much to take in and process.  Of course one of the first thoughts at any reunion is “who the hell are all these old people”?  We see our own aging day by day but other’s is quite a shock.  Of course there are others who look wonderful, and we quietly   70spretend we don’t resent them. Or we don’t resent them and we get on line with the rest of the saints.

 

We think about ancient feuds and meet current sorrows. The list of the deceased. The question of where did all the hair go?  Watching everyone peer down at each other’s chest trying to read the name or see the picture on the tag.  For me, trying in vain not to wear any of the meal I’m eating on my chest. (years ago I decided my boobs are magnets for food or are perpetually hungry) Did so and so really sleep with half the class and a number of the teachers?  Who was heavy into drugs and who wasn’t.  What was with that guy who sat alone at our table looking like a method actor playing a conman?  Would we ever see any of these people again?  Would we want to?

 

And so we headed home.  Relieved to stop holding our stomachs in and kick our shoes off.  Knowing that we’d be rehashing the event a number of times with each other, much as we did back in high school.  And realizing that for the most part that although it might be nice to have the body we did in high school, we aren’t sorry to be past the drama.  Way too exhausting!

 

 

Participate in the Bra Poll !

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

 

We’ve been having some discussion lately among our womenfolk regarding the different ways to put on a bra.  Some are adamant about the ease off putting the bra on by hooking it the front while it’s around the waist and then turning it, putting arms through and pulling it up to where it belongs.   Some have never even considered this alternative.

 

And others are equally steadfast about putting their bra on the more “conventional” way — arms through and then hooking it in the back.  I guess there are pluses to both methods.

 

So we decided for the next two weeks or so to conduct an unofficial poll.  Tell us how you put on your bra.  One of these two ways or another way we haven’t even considered.

 

Vote now in the box at right!

What, Me Worry???

Friday, October 9th, 2009

 

My husband is sure that I borrow trouble and worry about things that no one else does. Well, we all have to excel at something.  I’m a world class worrier. So, in order to worry less about really important stuff, I focus on the trivial.  This is the latest: would I be able to pass a road side sobriety test?  I am less than graceful.  The alphabet is no problem.  But walking heel to toe?  Standing on one foot for a time?  Touching my nose from both sides with my index finger with my eyes closed?  That’s asking too much from a person who has broken three toes a total of 5 times.  It just wouldn’t be a pretty sight.  Good grief.

Lions, and Tigers, and High School Reunions, Oh My!

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

 

It’s enough to send this middle aged lady shrieking into the streets.  A High School Reunion.  It’s this Saturday the 10th of October.  I have 4 days.  Time to lose twenty lbs, develop a wonderful career that is both lucrative and fascinating and win a Nobel Prize.  Yes, and let’s not forget a face lift and an outfit from Vera Wang.  Oh, and someone to teach me how to walk in stilettos without injuring myself as well as any passers by. 

 

I and my ever present partner in crime Colleen, will be boldly walking into the dream/nightmare scenario that was High School.. Since 1969 we’ve been providing each other with courage and a lot of laughter.  So bring it on!

40th Anniversary (Ghost) Trip

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

 

ghost

 

A couple of weeks ago, Colleen & I went on our anniversary (40th) trip to Cape May.  Had a great time.  Did a ghost tour which featured tales about the old hotel that we stayed in.  Walked along the beach, did a little shopping, and toured the Victorian mansion of a local eccentric.

 

At our hotel, we reserved two rooms.  One had the reputation of being haunted and we each spent one night in it. Colleen slept there first.  During the night she heard the sound of a coin falling onto the floor and rolling before eventually coming to a stop.  Certainly not terribly scary, but a little puzzling.  The rooms all had carpeting as did the hall.

 

As for me, there were no sights or sounds.  It was however, a restless night.  I’m a side sleeper and in a hotel room I try to sleep on whichever side faces the door.  It makes feel a little more secure in an unfamiliar place.  I had the feeling I needed to be concerned about the side of the room that was at my back. Spent the night flipping from side to side.  If I’d been a hot dog I’d be cooked evenly on all sides.

 

All in all, a great weekend.  Three days with no cooking, no housework and no significant others.  Ate when we felt like, and what we felt like.  Talked about some good old times, and some bad old times.  Both before we left, and while we were gone, anyone (female) we mentioned it to was jealous and wished they had the opportunity to do the same.

 

Well, money is tight for a lot of us.  It doesn’t have to be a weekend “away”.  Even a day would be great, or an evening.  Go for pizza or a long walk. Check out the malls or antique stores.  Carve a little time out of your “normal” schedule.  You’ll feel rejuvenated afterward and very happy that you made time for it.

 

Have to run……………….