Wednesday, May 28, 2008

A Sad State of Affairs

It's sad really. My entire life as a housewife can be summed up in the following statement...

I cannot find my 16 quart stockpot.

Sad isn't it? I mean, it's big and silver. And it's in my house somewhere. And yet I cannot for the life of me find it. I looked in all the obvious places. I looked in several less obvious places. My pressure canner is in the laundry room. But no stockpot. I even called Lourna to see if she perchance remembered seeing it somewhere when she was here visiting. But alas, no.

So... I made my strawberry jam in 8 oz. jars instead of pint sized jars because those were the only jars short enough to put in my regular 8 quart-ish stock pot. But really that's probably better anyway because then it is easier to share my bounty without feeling like I don't have any left for me. On my kitchen counter I have 11 jars of strawberry jam.

I also have sore feet and I'm really, really tired. Of course that could also be because I worked out today for the first time in 5 days.

And now here is a question for you... was the relaxation of my annual pedicure that I had this morning cancelled out by the afternoon and evening spent in the kitchen? Perhaps. But I will still have my sparkly flower jewels - one on each big toe. And that makes everything better.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

My Neuroses

Mama Llama tagged me for a meme... challenged me to open myself to scrutiny and come clean... admit once and for all that I am, in fact, not normal.

Really? She must not know me for I am as crazy as they come! :)

I have been pondering this challenge in the back of my mind for close to a week now. As unbelievable as it seems, at first I could think of nothing. Maybe she's wrong. Maybe we're both wrong. I have nothing weird to tell about myself. But as time passed and I continued to think about it, more and more of my neuroses came back to me. Things I usually try to ignore. Things that I will now share with you...

1. I don't like to be late to the movies. I want to be in my seat with my popcorn or nachos and soda at least 5 minutes before the previews start. I can't help it. That's just the way I am. Ron and I went to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall this weekend - our first movie at the theater in quite awhile - and we were going to be late (in my opinion) and I was fussing about it. Turns out we made it before the previews started. Phew!

2. I don't like loud noises. We went to a local outdoor concert last Friday - Mama Llama and other friends love it but this was my first time actually making it to a concert. My very first thought as I opened the car door, at least a block away from the concert, was Wow! That is really loud! It didn't get any quieter. I'm pretty sure I won't be going to another concert here. The only reason I am going is to hang out with my friends but I ended up not enjoying myself. I'd rather spend time with my friends somewhere quieter. I resisted sitting at the bar at the local favorite restaurant for quite awhile because it was so loud and hard to talk. I have since become a convert but the noise at the bar is nothing compared to the noise from the concert.

3. Not a fan of crowds... Nope. Hate 'em in fact.

4. Fireworks make me nervous. There have been a few minor incidents in my past. Plus... fireworks are loud. Those really loud bright white boomers - hate them! They give me a tummy ache. Interestingly enough, those are Ron's favorite type. I love the lights of the fireworks though. Just hate the sound. Oh and I believe in professional fireworks only - no home shows and definitely no kids touching them in any way shape or form.

5. Like Mama Llama - I love to stare into the flames. I was once caught red-handed by my mom lighting fires with my brother in the backyard. As I child I thought I was being oh so careful - after all, I was using a cement paving stone as a base to prevent the fire from spreading. As an adult I can see why Mom was upset... I was playing with matches (big no no!) and I was lighting fires less than 5 feet from the house in the middle of our very dead, very dry grass (did I mention we lived in the desert?!) Oops!

6. I don't like it when people are near me while I'm working. Any task - cleaning the house, working online, whatever. I think that they are watching me and judging me and deciding that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing and I'm doing it all wrong and I'm such a failure. Can you say self-esteem issues?!?

7. I have recurring dreams that I call "911 Dreams". The location and the situation vary from time to time but in all of them I am trying to call 9-1-1 and for whatever reason can't get through. Dream analysis anyone?

8. I don't like wind. Or other repetitive, out of my control noises. Like our new dog. Who licks and licks and licks and licks incessantly. Or like Felisa who at this very minute is sitting next to me whispering "scooby scooby scooby" over and over and over again. AAAAHHHHHH!!!! Kill me now!

9. My aunt used to call me Bony Butt when I was younger. Alas, those days are long past.

10. I don't like to be told what to do. Or what I cannot do. Stubborn I believe it is called. And yet I am a firm believer in rules. As in Every One MUST Follow ALL Rules At ALL Times NO Exceptions!!!

And now I have drawn a blank. The neuroses are endless really... too bad I can't remember any more right now. Lucky for you though so you don't have to read any more. And I suppose technically I have met my 10 item list requirement though I am not going to tag anyone since I think my only readers (other than Ron, my quality control) is Mama Llama and Scattered Mom.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Where did my week go?

Has anyone seen it? I had it right here earlier... An entire week, full of time and possibility and a list 5 miles long of things to be done with all that time? I seem to have misplaced it somewhere because OMG it's, like, Wednesday night which means that tomorrow is Thursday and then it's Friday. Which means that the day after that is Saturday! I'm not ready for Saturday! And I'm pretty sure the next two days will not be nearly enough time to do everything on that list and prepare for Saturday. Seriously... where did my week go?!? I want it back! Now!

In other news...
I ventured out to Walmart today. Ick. But I did find two new t-shirts that I will hopefully still like after wearing them a few times. And I bought a large bag of the new Indiana Jones mint crisp M&Ms. I'm thinking I should've bought a case rather than merely a single bag. They taste like mini thin mint cookies. yummmmmmmmm! I also found some ric-rac for my class on Saturday. Not the size I wanted but better than nothing. And they didn't really have anything else I needed to so I went to Michaels (withOUT a coupon -gasp!) and bought more brads and gluedots. And a keychain hook so that I can help Felisa make a dinosaur for Adam to hang from his lunchbox (since Felisa has a princess charm hanging from her lunchbox). Every Monday when I pick up Felisa from lunch bunch he asks me again. Maybe next week we'll get it done. I had considered it for this afternoon but obviously promplty forgot again.

Ron's housekey is still missing. I called his dad to see if he had taken it to the beach and he said no. Which brings us back to square one. Key - lost.

Bella didn't like her dinner and put on a big show of tears for Grandma D. so she could get sympathy. I told her that I appreciated the fact that she tasted it but that she is old enough to go without dinner if she decides not to eat it. It's not like she's going to starve to death. She ate bacon at Melissa's house earlier this evening and she's now had a bedtime snack as well.

Felisa was having a major meltdown over not getting to see Melissa today. Her date is scheduled for next Wednesday. Poor Melissa is spread pretty thin these days now that she has access to her birth family and my kids wanting to spend time with her and all of that end-of-senior-year social life stuff to do. I bet she's wondering where her week went as well. Hmmm... maybe they ran off together!

I'm behind on laundry. Lana was here two weeks ago and washed/dried/folded every last bit of laundry. Then Lourna was here last week and did some laundry too. Yet here I sit in pretty much the same place I was two weeks ago - dreadfully behind. I did finally get the bathroom rugs washed and hung out to dry though. Had to wait for the rain to stop first...

I planted a bit in my garden this afternoon. I need to get my seeds out and plant green beans and a few other things. I also need to put the rest of my plants in that I bought. Maybe I should do some planting in my spare time.

We're almost out of milk. I was going to go to the grocery store and the dry cleaners today. Obviously that didn't happen either! Maybe tomorrow in my other spare time.

I'm not sure my paper order is going to arrive in time for my crop class this weekend. I really hope it does. I also think I need to go back to Michaels (or maybe AC Moore but that is farther away) and buy some black and white paper. Maybe I should check how much I have. In my spare time. Then in my other spare time I can go shopping for more.

Our neighbor Clint had to go to the hospital this afternoon with chest pains so Zoe had some extra time here. She even almost got to have a sleepover but Nesli came to pick her up just after I put them all in bed. Maybe she'll get another chance for a sleepover later this month or next. She and Ryan had been discussing the idea the other day. I of course am glad to help but suspect a few minutes of my spare time may have disappeared into this situation.

Friday morning I will be working for Ms Barnes. She already warned me she has a lot for me to do. How fast can operate that copy machine?!

Alright... time to go eat my fish tacos that Ron brought me from Baja Fresh and then collapse. Should I check my email first? Visit a few blogs? Not sure. But I will finish my bowl of mint crisp M&Ms!

Oh and if you see my week will you please send it back to me? Thanks!

Monday, May 12, 2008

squish squish squish

Just got back from dumping the compost... The grass/ground squish, squish, squished as I walked across it. We have set a local record with 7.75" of rain in 5 days. Just yesterday Mom and Lourna were talking about how the rain is different here. In the west, it rains for about 20-30 minutes then blows over. Here it rains and rains - for days on end sometimes. As if someone turned on the rain faucet then forgot to turn it off again. Forrest Gump was on last night. I had to laugh at the Vietnam scene where Forrest is telling about how it started to rain one day and just kept raining continuously for four months until all of a sudden one day, someone turned off the rain.

I sure hope someone turns off the rain soon!

Monday, May 05, 2008

Faster than the speed of sound

Well, not really. But I did run a mile in 8:17 this morning. I think it's a personal best.

Go me!

Sunday, May 04, 2008

First Communion

Ryan celebrated his first communion today. At rehearsal Thursday he drew the wine assignment. No pressure, right? He said that it was heavy but delivered it to Fr. Pat without any trouble.

All went well. He said that the wine didn't taste very good. :)

Afterwards a nice BBQ with family and just a few friends - quiet and relaxing.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!!!!!

Two soccer players. Two soccer games. Two goals scored!!!

That's right - both Ryan and Bella scored great goals today! And Grandpa F was here to see it.

Proud soccer mama here. :)