Oh, the Great Pumpkin is Coming!

The Pumpkin Patch - SO much fun. Beautiful sunny day, crisp Autumn air, frolicking children and great friends. And no. There was not ONE pub even remotely close to me - so you know it was just that great all by itself!

Last year I realized that I am somewhat of a closet redneck (as much as that makes me want to vomit) because the one thing that draws my attention and keeps it for long periods of time is the Punkin'Chunker.

I LOVE the PunkinChunker! Guess what it do? It chunks punkin's cleeeeeaaaar across the countryside.

Yeah. See? Told you I had a closet redneck in me.





But seriously - check that out! It sounds like a cannon, and then it feels like nailing the greatest drive ever down the green...'cause noone sees the object land. Until you finally give up looking for it and then - wham! It hits the ground and smashes all over the place.

I want one. And I am ashamed of myself.

In other news: Because I am a mommy/wife, I do not get to take an uninterrupted shower. I have seen other women blog about this, and heard many a woman whine about it - so I have just accepted it as part of the deal.

Yesterday during my shower (right at the lather/rinse part) my middle child started banging on the door, hollering at the top of his lungs about how my youngest was using the "f" word.

Me: *Sigh* What are you yelling about?!
Jeremy: Jory is saying the "F" word!
Me: What? I don't understand you. Send your brother here.
Jory: What, mom?
Me: Are you saying the "F" word? Do you need me to wash your mouth out with soap?
Jory: No, Ma'am. I am only saying "F*cking"... not the really bad "Freakin''' word!

Me: Oh...oh. Well. Hmmm. Don't say that either, okay? But go tell your dad about this first before you stop saying it forever.



Here he is picking up a pumpkin that weighs 4/5 as much as he does. I know. He LOOKS innocent anyway.

And don't forget this: I got my bracelet today for three days of no smoking. What do you think I should get for 3 WEEKS of no smoking? Yeah, I thought I should get a trip to Greece, too. Glad we think alike.
;)t

Chewing My Gum, Chewing My Gum...

Starting to feel like a cow chewing cud. Ugh. And my lungs seem to be extra excited to expel (ROFL! Three words with ex! YES!) the yuckiness I have introduced to them in the most expedient (that was just for effect) way.

'Tis Monday morning. And I shall make the very best of today. I hereby do solemnly swear not to smoke, yell at anyone, bite/kick/scratch/slap anyone, shoot anyone and/or cause any discomfort to anyone else in my endeavor to break loose from the dreadul smokie treats.

And Amen.

;)t

Superheroes and the sounds they make...

(Drug Under doing an acoustical set)


I quit smoking yesterday. I know. *groan* Again. But I have to say, I am feeling pretty good about it...and I am hoping that the cough I have had since getting sick (what was that, a month ago?) will start to subside. Although I know it will get worse before it gets better.

After scrambling through the house, purse and car the night before last looking for any smokes that I might have left in a pocket somewhere (so I didn't have to go buy more) I found THREE of them yesterday. Today I will probably find a whole pack somewhere random. Smokes are abundant when you don't smoke anymore.

I awoke today to the sound of the boys playing Rescue Heroes...and I do mean the sounds. Having only been around girls, I do not understand why boys have to add the audio effects to punctuate the actions of shooting, drilling, cutting, shooting, stabbing, shooting and wrecking the helicopter. Why do they need to play such violent things anyway?! I guess I would be sad if they had tea parties, though. Perhaps I will just go get ear plugs.


We are going to the pumpkin patch this afternoon - hay rides and pumpkin cannon included. Don't know why, but I am pretty excited. And it won't even be at a pub.

Have a great day all! ;)

Make Mine Medium Rare...

(one of those sweet moments when the boys are working together...the older boy was showing the younger one how to fly a paper airplane. Isn't that some rite of passage?)

So - the week. The week is over, and now we have to start a new one. I don't think I am ready yet. Recovering from doing all of that yucky, stressful paperwork and telling my boss that he owed thousands of dollars more than he expected took quite the toll on me. For four days or so, I tried in vain to get my back to loosen up - to no avail. At one point I thought I had lung cancer...but no. I don't. But I am scared of these damn smokes again - so THAT's a positive thing!

Got to check out a new group last night, a really, really GOOD group. I love bands that are just starting out because they work so hard to make the audience happy. I love watching them try new things to see what kind of response they will get. It is the epitome of being an artist - expressing oneself authentically, and measuring the effect that it has on other people. Bonus was that the lead guitarist and vocalist is a new chef in the kitchen. I have such a new found respect for him - he never once led me to believe that he is as talented as it turns out he is. THAT is modesty, my friends.

We have made a new deal in our house:
Jerry is in charge of all of the cooking, and I will do all of the cleaning up. I LOVE this deal.

Except, I don't want to do the cleaning either.

Have a good Sunday, all!

So Far Away...

Yeah, I know. My blogging ain't what it used to be.

Truly it isn't a lack of things to say - I have just been actually doing other things! Hard to imagine me doing other things, huh?

About the template - omg you have to help me find one that I like. I tweaked and screwed and messed around with everything that BlogSpot has - I hate them all. I want something new. Original. TerriBerriStyle. Help me! ;)

Our anniversary was spectacular. AMAzing even. For all that J put me through during the week, he made up for it fifty times over with the day I got to spend with him. We rode the bike to a neighboring town and went to an indie music producer's new warehouse - a grand opening with a keg of 90 Schilling and live music! Does life get any better? Yes, apparently it does. We then went to hear Drug Under do a set - remember that name. They are going to be huge. (Have I been wrong yet?!) The best part was that J had a good time. He interacted with everyone, enjoyed the music, let me drink myself silly with no derisive looks, bundled me back on the bike and brought me back to my children. Who had the house "clean" and the leaves in the yard "picked up". And had made us the most beautiful cards...the kind you NEVER throw away. No matter what.

It was a magical day, like none that I have ever experienced before.

I spent the rest of my free time working with my camera - so much to see, so little time. I have some great shots of the bands - but yeah. I cannot upload them. The batteries went dead. I was not expecting that at all. I thought my camera had committed suicide.

And guess what? I got all of that horrible paperwork finished. My shoulders have no idea what to do with themselves now that they are not weighed down with impossible tasks.

As I speak, I cannot express to you how happy I am on this Monday night. I will not be unreasonable and expect things to be this good forever, but I will enjoy the way it feels right now.

*sidenote: The warehouse owner and music producer is going to let me work for free in his shop - in exchange for CD's and entrance to shows - can you believe my luck?!

M is for Mean mommy

Friday? Oh thank gawd. However, I gave myself a rude awakening this morning when I jolted upright at 6:36 A.M. , and then lied to myself by saying,"Oh, don't worry, terri. Go back to sleep. It's Saturday."

I told myself the truth at 6:38.

This week was a little rough. Okay, alot rough. I caught a deep chest cold on Tuesday, got sent home from work on Wednesday, struggled through Thursday with a runny nose, and have hacked my way through most of today. Plus, the J-Man has sensed our anniversary approaching (tomorrow), and although he has never noticed his cycle of doing this, he is doing his level best to make me wish we had never said those fateful I DO words.

Why?!

Every birthday, every major holiday, and every anniversary he starts freaking out, making the day miserable and unbearable. Oh - he also starts this about 3 days before the anniversary of his dad's death. Do you think it's subconcious? Do you think he just feels pressure to perform? Perform WHAT?! I am the shopper, I am the planner, I am the one who does the holiday and anniversary preperation. All he has to do is show up with a happy face. But no. Whatever.


I broke my middle son's heart the other day. I threw out some papers that have been stacking in my office in quite the haphazardly way. I am not a packrat. I get rid of everything I can as soon as I can. (Except shoes.) Turns out that stack was Jeremy's School Papers. And in that stack was a poster that he had made me for Mother's Day. In PreSchool.

Trying so hard not to sob, with deep dark circles under his eyes, he asked me, "Why would you throw out one of your kid's papers?". If that wasn't bad enough, I could barely understand him because his voice was so choked with emotion that he used no consonants in his sentence.
It sounded like this: "Aye -wha-oo-oh-ow-er-iz-a-erz?" And of course I had to make him repeat it. Which made him cry harder.

Why WOULD I? Who DOES that?!

I suck at this mommy thing. And wife thing.

I gotta get me a title that I am good at.

Ride, Baby, Ride...

(My dearest friend Niel getting her first motorcycle ride. Please ignore the trashy neighbors across the street. I am trying to as well.)

This new motorcycle? HOT! I cannot get enough of it.

One really neat thing...you can't stay angry at a man that you have your arms wrapped around and your nose nuzzled in his neck.

J-man has been doing something new and wonderful - having me call before I am ready to come home from work. He then drives up on the big, black beast and whisks me away in quite a romantic (yet somehow yummy/dirty) way.

Tonight we went to the grocery store on the way home, and I had this really wonderful feeling that I am going to be just fine with us growing old together. It will be just the two of us at some point...going where we want to, doing what we want to, and enjoying the company.

And yeah - the groceries fit in the saddle bags. You would not believe the acts of contrition I performed in order to have my previous gaffe (about them looking like oldmansaddlebags) erased from memory. It was a challenge though - perhaps tomorrow I can come up with another offensive thing to say that will require massive creativity on my part to receive forgiveness.
LOL
;)t

Everyone Else Is Doing It

101 random things about me...

1. I love my name. In lower case.
2. I am an only child.
3. But I have 2 step-brothers, one half-brother, and three adopted siblings.
4. My parents divorced when I was 15.
5. They tried to divorce once when I was 13...but it didn’t work.
6. My father is a preacher – Nondenominational Charismatic.
7. My mother is not any organized religion.
8. But she believes in a Supreme Deity.
9. I haven’t been to church in about 6 months.
10. But we pray before every meal.
11. My favorite color is purple – or red. Also depends on the day.
12. I only wear black, white, red or brown.
13. I smoke. Involuntarily.
14. I am an insomniac.
15. I prefer Letterman over Leno.
16. I hate chores and paying bills.
17. I drink too much wine every other week.
18. I used to pick up hitch-hikers.
19. I am a compulsive photographer. Not a good one, just compulsive.
20. I have been pregnant 6 times.
21. I have had 4 babies.
22. I never wanted children.
23. But I am so proud of the ones I have.
24. I don’t like food, but I eat plenty.
25. I could eat the same thing for every meal every day for the rest of my life.
26. I forget to drink water for days on end.
27. I drink way too much coffee.
28. I am not a morning person but I love the sunrise.
29. Unless I am riding in a car – it makes me nauseous.
30. When I was 14 I went to Sweden as a teen missionary.
31. When I was 19 I learned how to read Tarot Cards and chart astrology.
32. I am a bookworm.
33. I never remember what I have read or who it was by.
34. I get confused sometimes about whether something really happened to somebody I know, or if I just read about it somewhere.
35. I hate the TV.
36. But I love Rescue Me on FX.
37. And Grey’s Anatomy.
38. I cry when they vote people off of reality survival shows.
39. I don’t really cry – I am more of a sobber.
40. I hated the Passion of the Christ.
41. I felt like I had viewed the murder of a man for 1 ½ hours – I felt dirty.
42. I did not feel grateful that God gave us His only son so that we could have life everlasting – I was really p*ssed off that He made the rules so that someone had to die. I never asked for anyone to be murdered for me.
43. I felt ashamed that I couldn’t be grateful and say thank you.
44. I still can’t.
45. I refuse to pay more than $35 for a concert ticket.
46. I buy a new CD every single time I go to Target.
47. I have a 4.0 in college.
48. But I can’t finish my degree because I keep dropping my Algebra course so I don’t ruin my GPA.
49. I am a passionate supporter of new bands – until they make it.
50. I have attachment disorder.
51. So does my mother.
52. We are attached to each other, though.
53. I dye my hair ...and pull out the gray ones when I can see them in my rear view mirror.
54. I met my husband when I was 16.
55. We broke up 38 times before we got married.
56. He married me because I told him he had to or move out of my apartment.
57. We have been married for 16 years.
58. I have never physically cheated on him since saying our vows.
59. We have attempted to sort things out in marriage counseling two times, each time lasting 6 months.
60. Both times we came out thinking that our counselor was crazier than we were.
61. We are going to try it again.
62. I have had West Nile Virus.
63. I am 36.
64. I forget that I am 36 until I see myself in the mirror.
65. I am steeped in End Time Theory.
66. I was taught that the world would end in 1988, 1991 & 1995.
67. I never chose a career for the future because I thought there was no point in it.
68. Now I refuse to think about the end of the world – and I unreasonably plan to be everything when I grow up.
69. I am a dabbler in many things, professional at nothing.
70. I am all or nothing with everything I take on.
71. I would rather clean the toilets than do dishes or laundry.
72. I hate baby showers and birthday parties.
73. Unless they are at a pub.
74. I am a Republican.
75. And a Patriot.
76. I am ashamed that I hate the president I voted for.
77. I am a carrier for strep throat.
78. I am married exactly the same amount of years my parents were when they divorced.
79. I traded my sports car in for a mini-van, and my mini-van in for a Pontiac Vibe.
80. I have 14,000 miles on the Vibe – I have had it for 2 ½ years.
81. I hate grocery shopping – you buy the food and then people eat it all up. Nothing to show for your money!
82. I love text messaging and e-mail.
83. I refuse to use short hand while texting.
84. I hate talking on the phone.
85. I would love to have been Greek.
86. Before the Romans took over.
87. I have one pet – the Skeeter Cat.
88. I found her in a mud puddle when she was approximately 4 weeks old.
89. I let her drink out of the bathroom faucet.
90. I don’t enjoy play dates.
91. Unless it is at a pub.
92. I have never done any illegal drugs.
93. Except one time I smoked some pot, but then I got really paranoid and made my friends take me to the ER because I was OD’ing.
94. They gave me a sandwich and sent me home.
95. I have many piercings, but no tattoos.
96. But it is on my list of things to do before I die.
97. I was a cheerleader through junior high and high school.
98. I dated my husband because he had a 65 Mustang. We still have it.
99. I love to sleep on the couch.
100. I am an internet junkie.
101. This year I went crazy – and I haven’t come back completely right yet.

Little Miss Muffet...

Look what was sitting by my desk when I got to the office today...ugh!

*not the lens cap. That is just for huuuge spidey reference.


And then when I got home, my boys had a present for me.



I am feeling a bit creepy-crawly...

Cold...but I'm Still Here...

Ah...if you have not already done so based on my extensive little-known musician reccommendations, you must go check out Evans Blue - an amazing group from Canada, and I love them so.

(this is two of those fantastic Evans Blue Boys and I at the 12th Planet)

And also, today when I was checking out the Two-for-Tuesday sale at Sony.com, there was an exclusive interview with my beloved Dropping Daylight. Do you know what this means?! They made it...omg, they made it. And although I am so very proud, I know I will never be able to see them play at dive bars or be openers that rock the house from here on out. They will be expensive headliners. I want you to remember that I loved them first. FIRST, d*mmit. ;)

I went to see my friend Joanne in Denver this weekend. (She is one of the girls I met when I was on the Quitnet 24/7.)

ANYway. I went to visit Jo this weekend, and to take pictures of the magnificent architecture Downtown Denver. While we were there, we stopped by the RockBottom Brewery to have some a couple of drinks, and to visit my friend Kendall. (Kendall - a child I had hired as a hostess when she was 15, and is now a manager at the RockBottom.) I am so very proud of MissKen, and was very happy to introduce her to Joanne and her sister Lori, except my introduction came out like this:

Me: Kendall, this is my dear friend Joanne and her sister...um...ummmm...oh cr*p!...ummm...Liz? Trish? Why can't I...?

Joanne: Lori. My sister's name is Lori.

Now I must remind you, I have spent tons of time hanging out with Lori. I adore her. Why couldn't I remember her name? Do I have Alzheimers? Ugh.

The only possibility (other than Alzheimers) that I can assuage my social guilt with is that perhaps I was mixing too many worlds together. Old School Kenny's, Old School Qnet, and Downtown Denver with Joanne. Those time periods span aproximately 10 years. Maybe my poor little brain just gave up.

Also, today I found out that I forgot to pay the MilkMan and the Trash Company.

Coincidence or trend? You be the judge.

My Foot - Too Big To Swallow...

So...it's the weekend. I am literally sighing big exhales of relief. Why do some weeks take a month to get through?!

I took my handsome husband to retrieve his motorcycle from the shop yesterday, and while we were there he wanted to show me the saddle bags he had ordered - and spent a fortune on. Ohmygawd...I felt so bad. They are hard and shiny and give every appearance of belonging on a tourist cycle! Old man saddle bags, even. And of course, my mouth opened before my brain kicked in to censor, and I told him exactly what I thought.

I am no longer allowed as a passenger.

It is going to take alot of steak and potatoes and random tricks of the trade (yeah, that trade. Not that I ever was in that trade...I just read alot.) to get my behind back on the black beast.

At least I have goals...
;)

Can You Take Me Higher?

We are once more at the cyclical portion of myself that moves forward too fast, and forgets to move my feet. I am flat on my face emotionally tonight...

Time again to be stuck in my little glass coffin, face pressed awkwardly against the surface, features smeared, watching the rest of the world whirl by.

I gotta figure this sh*t out.

This is the worst part of being Terri.

Rocky Mountain High...

(if you click on this, you can see the moose just hanging out on the golf course. Silly moose. There are golfers not 50 feet away and still they are staying on the green. Someone call fore!)

I finally got a little road trip, anyway. It made me miss my mom.
She used to live up in Woodland Park, CO, and going to visit her in the fall was a like visual candy. The colors, the vistas, the lighting - all perfect.

The boys and I drove up the canyon to Estes Park today and honestly, we had the best time. They had gotten up early and cleaned their room, eaten their breakfast and did not bicker one time. What was my reward for them? Sticking them in a car and making them go up where the temperature was freezing, the wind was howling, and made them hike in and out of the woods. We stopped at every sunny place along the river, and anywhere the trees appeared to be changing color. It was awesome!

Anyway, I find myself partial to the shots that I think will make my mom homesick...

I think that is called emotional manipulation. Ugh.

It's so different to drive somewhere just to enjoy the scene. I forgot there was such intense beauty just up the road.

I also forgot to send out the memo to the other drivers on the road that I was a tourist today...I wanted to shout to them to slow down and enjoy themselves! Where could they have possibly needed to get to at such an unhappy clip?! They wanted to shout at me to hurry up or get out of the way. In fact, I think they DID shout that...I have a hard time reading lips in the rear view mirror, but I am a strong believer in body language speaking louder than words. Especially The Finger type of body language.

Anyway, I can't think of a better way to have spent my Sunday. It could only have been topped if a live band would have been in the car with me...


One more thing...Here is a bench for Katya's collection. It was 60 feet away from the moose on the golf course, but I decided it was worth putting my life in danger to get it! ;)

Do You Know Where You're Going?

I am all over the place today.

I want to rearrange the house, relandscape the yard (or at least right the things that are wrong with it presently), get some friends together, hide out in my office, pay bills, go shopping, watch a movie, listen to a CD, read a book/million blogs, talk to my mother, get a pedi/mani, go hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park with my camera, take a nap, drink keoki coffee, sit on the deck with MyGuy and talk about nothing important, play football in the park with my boys...but you know what?

One of the only things that I will actually accomplish in real life is a nap.

You Are an Obsession - You're My Obsession...

So...about this new camera...and all of its wonderfulness: OMG. I can't put it down! I think about it at work. I buy it new toys. I create new pages for it to show off on. I can't get to bed before 2 in the morning because I am reading and reading and practicing and reading some more about all of it's magic.

The camera has to go...

...on a road trip.
;)

Mercy Fall...

Oh, man.

I mean - Oh, MY man.

'Twas the strangest thing...MyGuy has been bugging me for the past 18 months to go see my doctor and tell him about all of the changes I have made in my life, and to maybe find out why I have been so erratic and (yes) a little out of control. Obviously, I took that very personally - and not very graciously, either. He went as far as to tape a questionnaire he found in the newspaper on my computer monitor. The large print promised it would help a person know if there was a possibility that they needed to be treated for bipolarism.

Now, everyone I know that has taken the little quiz has scored in the affirmative to requiring the medication being peddled. Needless to say, I was not only mad - I was hurt. I told him it was him making me crazy by drowning me in a life of monotony. I told him he was dying a slow death and killing me with him!

MyGuy apparently took the quiz as well and did not score well on the mental health side.

I just found out a couple of weeks ago that he went to his doctor soon after that - and came home with some medication.

Today he is a changed man - and I mean that in every sense of the word. Was he depressed? Unbelievably so. Did I make that easier with my vagrant lifestyle? No. I am sorry, MyGuy...

Although he will not be a longtermpillpopper, I am so happy that he is taking care of himself. I know that this treatment is just to give him a leg up and I am grateful that he will have that chance. He is happy, attentive, hopeful, balanced, and aware. He is even making future plans again - plans for fun and not failure. The way he is interacting with our children is magical and everything I wanted in a co-parent. The way he is treating me is...amazing. And wonderful. And healing, even.

And oh! The TV? Yeah...it is off. For hours at a time. Public Service will be very confused when they review our account.

I Remember Everything...

I want to say something beautiful and honoring on this 5th anniversary of 9-11.

But the words that come through my fingers will never be able to express the emotions I feel regarding the day that America was attacked by pure evil and hatred.

So, I will send my thoughts and prayers to those of you who lost family members and personal friends.

And I will be proud to be an American.

A New Sensation (Right Now!)...

I bought myself a present yesterday. One that I really love. I bought Adobe PhotoShop even though I have at least 7 other photo editing programs. Apparently not 7 other good ones.

I am practicing with watermarks tonight, and enjoying all of the bells and whistles. I haven't gotten up the nerve to alter very many of my photos - I am always afraid I won't be able to get my original back. I know, it's irrational - whatever.

The birthday parties this weekend were a TRIP! Remember the one where I was gonna size up the momma and throw down if need be? Yeah...no. She is a big'un. Not only that, but it took me a little while to realize why all 75 of her family members were wearing blue. It took me even longer to realize that Jory and Owen were the only children not related there.

The birthday child belongs to a family that runs with the Norteno's (please insert squiggly) - who coincidentally just murdered someone from their rival gang, the Sureno's (again with the squiggly). The only way I know about this is from the newspaper, so it was fascinating AND nervewracking to overhear tidbits from various family members.

Owen's mother flaked out first by claiming that Owen had a sore throat - she actually threw the word Strep out there for consideration. I left fairly soon after that, waving with my broad, brave smile plastered onto my pale face until they could no longer see me.

...and came home a little less sure of my abilities to "handle" Birthday Boy's Mommy. *sigh*

When The World Falls Away

(I was playing with my settings, trying to get the water to look more solid. It deprived the rocks and greenery of sharp lines (see blurry), but I love the varied shades of green and brown so much that I am KEEPing it.

...I want to sit right here on a rock for the rest of my life.

Of course, I don't want the seasons to change or for me to get hungry.

There are lots of things wrong with getting to do WHATEVER it is that I want for the rest of my life.

But it doesn't make me stop wanting the good things to keep going on and on and on...

Bring 'Em Back Alive...

Dizmas at the Ogden Theatre - Denver

Friday! Sweet Friday...how is it possible to experience an extremely long four day week?!

I intend to pack so much into this weekend that my head will literally spin off. There is a music festival in Estes Park, Rightfully Accused (who I met at Seether in Feb.) is playing at Eck's Saloon in Denver in the Battle of the Bands, and AudioSlave's new album came out 9-5.

Oh - and then there is the birthday parties. One for a sweet little kindergartner, and the other for a child that likes to punch and kick my youngest on the bus every day. The latter is one that I will accompany him on and size up the mother.

I think that I could take her. Happy Birthday, darling!

Why Can't I Be You?

Tonight I have to do dishes and laundry. I just know deep down inside that I was meant for SO much more. I was supposed to be a rock star. I am sure of it.

And you know what else? Tonight I found out that the Boy that promised to pine after me...adore me...love me forever although I wasn't willing to change a thing for him (like being married) and could never reciprocate in feelings has moved on and found a girl he can actually have a relationship with. WTF??!!

(...this is not a photo of him...this is my friend Jeff.)

I just don't understand. ;)

Ramble On, White Girl...

First off, I would like to suggest to you all a terrific wine to try - Montoya Vineyard, Cabernet, Proprietor's Collection, 2003 - it is heavenly. I am in my office with a glass of it right now.

Next-Blogging I am not doing, though. *whew*

You all know that I am huge on Nine Inch Nails, Audioslave, Breaking Benjamin,Tool, GhostMachine, 30 Seconds to Mars and Seether et al. So it was a large yet pleasant surprise to me when I started attending Ramble shows...particularly WhiteWater Ramble shows. Niel is the one to blame for this - she is the lovely girlfriend of Howard (middle), the upright bass player. Magnificent is he on his instrument, and wonderful is the whole band together. I dance myself silly at their shows.

A couple of weekends ago I had the opportunity to attend West Fest with Niel and Howie to see Nickel Creek. This group was so enjoyable - fantastic guitar and rhythm accented pleasantly by a girl with a voice akin to DiDo...or Loreena Mckinnet.

Because it was an outdoor show, I brought THE camera, thinking I could get some good shots of the mountains at sunset in Fort Collins, and of course Nickel Creek. The camera was a hit with the other photographers, and it was neat to have random people stop to examine it and ask questions about all of its amazingness. However, as I prepared to take only my third or fourth pic, a boy in a yellow jacket appeared in front of me - his face serious, his mouth saying NOTHING I could understand. I had handed my cam to Howie (because he is taller) so that he might get a better shot at the stage than I could expect at my short height. That silly yellow jacketed boy was pointing and mumbling something about "...or I will have to confiscate your camera". I smiled obligatorily - what a jokester - until I realized that he was for REAL. The boy was apparently responsible for policing all camera use in the area and was telling us to put it away or he would take my beautiful new toy! Whaaa?! I, of course, put it away for the rest of the show, but I want you to see the pic I DID get (with my little P.O.S. concertcamera). What do you see? Video cameras, phone cameras, digital cameras all around. Do you think he visited any of them? Nope. Not a single shooter - only me. I think it's because (or I flatter myself by thinking that) I looked like paparazzi.
I will have you know that I told him at the end of the show that he hurt my feelings. He tried to explain that he was only doing his job, and that he didn't see anyone else and that he was sorry - and I refused to forgive him. I simply said he obviously WASN'T doing his job if the only person he saw was poor little ole me. And I walked away. Very dramatically. Take THAT, camerastealingyellowjacketboy. HA!

Quickly, I want to encourage you to go see another Jam/Ramble band that I had the opportunity to visit last weekend...Split Lip Rayfield is one of those tremendous talents that will come to an end long before they are ready. One of the members(front man & guitarist Kirk Rundstrom, far left) was diagnosed with terminal lymphoma and has only 1-4 months to live. They are making their last rounds through America with all ticket sales going to his medical fund. I am honored that I was able to be in attendance during their last CO show...

Ramble On, Kirk Rundstrom. I will be one of the ones you see dancing my *ss off to the bass and mandolin...with my camera 'round my neck.

I'm a Little Tea Pot...

Note to self:

Self, if you want to feel inferior, you must lock yourself in your office with a bottle of wine and hit "next blog" about 452 times. And then you should feel ashamed of yourself for the amount of time you wasted doing that. Inferiority and shame - two equally powerful emotions. Let's do that again real soon.

Karma and Effect

my children and my little sister at Lost River, NH. They all look so deceptively harmless and sweet. Whatever.

I have too much to say, I think. My brain is a little whirl-y this morning. Could one whole pot of coffee be too much coffee?

The children:
My oldest wants me to start treating her like a teenager...little does she know that I already am. I owe her $875 for babysitting this summer, and she wants me to buy her a laptop in lieu of cash. Fine - I can do that. But she wants to keep it in her room, and she wants to have access to the Internet whenever she wants, wherever she wants to go and I just can't allow that yet. Why not? 'Cause I am an adult and I know what kind of trouble I have gotten myself into - how in the world can I let my baby run rampantly and unaware through the web? The worst part is that I can't even tell her how and why I know personally that unlimited access is bad for her...so I used the whole "I had a friend once who..." example.

The boys needed to clean their room yesterday - no small task for sure. Only, they took hours and hours and all they accomplished was making the mess worse. So, being the hardcore mommy that I am, I sacked everything that was on the floor and took it away. My middle child LOST his mind - and kicked me! "Oh mom, I am so sorry!" he cried with a scared and pitiful look on his face, "I have terrible anger management!". Where does a six year old learn that term? I was so stunned by the kick (and taken aback by the big words from the small mouth) that I numbly continued to sack the toys...and then that child kicked me three more times! Whaaa? I have no experience in how to deal with physical violence. How do you react to such a thing? Quietly, I marched him up the stairs to turn him over to his father...who was just as dumbfounded. "I know what I would do if you were an adult," he growled softly, "But, you are six."

What do we do? He is grounded of course...but is this just an indication of things to come? Is my sweet, passionate, sensitive little man going to be a brawler? Or worse, a child who expresses his rage by taking a gun to school and participating in a Columbine Massacre? And why doesn't he know not to kick his mom? Why doesn't he know not to hurt girls in ANY way? Who's fault is this? How do we fix this?

Ugh.

In other news:
The J-Man & I went to a UNC football game yesterday - we took the motorcycle 'cause we are amazingly cool like that.

Overheard as we dismounted the loud, huge beast: "Wow. I didn't know it was parent's weekend!"

HAHA!

Dance, Dance - We're Falling Apart to Half-Time...

Here is the third pic I took with the new cam - that is a lake out in the distance...click to enlarge- there are enough pixels - I love being able to say that!


Well, the children are fine now. Of course. They are back to their tattling, their tormenting, and their brawling ways. Great. I imagine that considering the alternatives, I would much rather be sending them to opposite corners rather than visiting them in the hospital.

I spent so much time alone with small children yesterday that I had the great opportunity to read and read and read some more blogs - I think I may be an addict. Unfortunately, I also had the opportunity to experience what Jock is talking about regarding comments. Except - some BlogSpots say that the comment didn't take - then I try again - then it doesn't take again - I give up, go back later, and D*MN if the comments didn't ALL show up. Not a good way to make new friends!

I am on my way to Fort Collins to a concert at the Aggie, and some drinks downtown. No, I am not taking my new camera - my little HP has been relegated to "concertcamera only status". I don't think that camera shop in NH will send me a new D70 if I drop it now...I may have used up my only mulligan in that department.

Have a great night, all!

different focus towards the lake...isn't that an amazing view? *sigh*

Cough Hack Snort Sniffle Whine

Ugh...the kiddo's are sick today. My middle child has a fever of 102.5 - has been running it since yesterday. Although he went to the school nurse twice, they were not able to get ahold of me and so the poor baby spent the afternoon sleeping in her office. That makes me feel like such a bad mommy. My youngest has a cough that sounds like a seal - it is his normal cough for a simple cold, but it raises quite the alarm with school districts as it sounds like whooping cough.

So I called in to work today so I could stay home and take care of them. THAT makes me feel like a bad employee...

I never was very sympathetic when my staff would call in to say they were home with sick babies. Remembering all the times I rolled my eyes while talking to them on the phone makes me feel like a bad employer and friend...

I am angry at the J-Man because he flat out refused to be the one to stay home. Some important project with a deadline, blahblahblah. I am frustrated with my extended family who tells me to "just call if you ever need me!" 'cause that apparently has stipulations. My anger and frustration with other people just because I am the one to stay home to care for my family makes me feel like a bad PERSON.

So, lets recap. One kid with a high fever, one with a scary sounding cough, and me with a case of the bad's. This is going to be a great day.

Black Hole Sun, Won't You Come

Tonight I got to talk to TWO of my closest friends in the whole d*mn world. I am funny that way - my dearest friends are people who you can not speak with for days/weeks/months and yet pick up exactly where you left off, and not feel guilty for not communicating enough. I can't do the whole "best friend" thing. Can't even call anyone my "best friend" - it makes me feel obligated and I end up hating them. Not something I like about myself, but it is better to recognize the truth rather than try to change to be someone I am not.

You all know Niel - she's my girl. An old soul who teaches me history and compassion for humanity, yet goes to loudsmashingmoshingfreakshows of concerts with me just 'cause she loves me that much. She doesn't even know the music - just goes because I want to. When she calls to tell me about her day or just to get some Mama T Time she has a way of making me feel like ... like I am needed. Fun. Wise. Loved. Important. Like I still exist...even though I have been gone from my Kenny's Staff for over 8 months now. I am a better wife, mother, friend and employee because I have a Niel in my life.

My other friend Kelli started out as my daycare provider when Taylor was a baby. When Taylor began pre-school, we continued our friendship over the phone. I kid you not, I have seen her maybe 10 times in the last 10 years...and still, I need her so. (Sad part is that she lives 12 miles away...count 'em...12, and I never see her.) Hours upon hours have been spent discussing hopes and dreams and frustrations with husbands (J-Man still calls Kelli when things need translation...she speaks his language and can talk him down from the roof, and likewise, I understand her Guy better than she does.) children, careers, religion, money, past lives and all of their victories and shaming moments, personal and social psychology. We truly have an amazing repertoire - nothing is off limits.

Except me being this crazy.

How can she be older than I am and not understand this ...place...that I am in? How can she not feel the pressure, the growling need, the gnawing to LIVE...to keep moving, to make a difference in our lifetime? What are the words I can use to describe the desperation I feel? She tries to make sense of me, but cannot grasp the concept that I feel like everyone around me is fading away in front of the TV or dying, drowning in their apathy towards life - and taking me with them!

I am at a loss for words. Perhaps it is a word choice itself that is causing the inability to find commiseration.

Or perhaps I am crazy in an original, new and undocumented way.

Nah. ;)

TGIS

I am at my desk, huddled over my coffee with a huge black sweatshirt wrapped around me...teeth chattering and fingers a little numb. I don't know if it is just REALLY cold in here or if I am getting the flu - or just really tired. And hungover. Whatever it is, I think the temperature has slowed my brain activity as well.

We had a get-together (see: a house party with people my age!) at my Q-friend Joanne's last night. Our guest of honor was a girl from NE that we met online at the Quitnet - Courtne. (Turns out her real name is Brenda, but it is too late for us to call her that. She will always be Courtne to us.)

I must interject here and say that if you had told me a year and 1/2 ago that I would meet and make part of my real life sooo many people from the internet, I would have thought you insane. But real they are, and they have done nothing but enhance and enrich my 3D life. I feel very fortunate!

Anyway, meeting Courtne face to face for the first time was awesome! I am hoping that those of us who went back to smoking did not cause her or Jim to experience any bad exsmokers' urges to light up. Since we began the night at 6 or so yesterday and didn't end it until 430 this morning, I am thinking the cloud of polution could have been monstrous. Ugh.

Courtne's DH made us each a pair of Beer Goggles - safety glasses with beer cans riveted to the lenses...they turned out very cute! He included a CD of the Beer Goggles song in with the present. I am not trying to be funny when I say that I have never heard that song. And it is okay if I don't hear it again!

Many plates of food, glasses of wine and pictures later, we decided to go dancing at Patrick's. Live music and CarBombs - a guaranteed good time. I danced my a** off. It was a shame they had to kick us out so that they could close down the joint...

I also did some drunken txting, some philosophical rambling, some very immodest wardrobe changing...and some recognizing that I was never going to be able to drive my car home just to be there before Jerry woke up. But I really wanted to.

Instead, we all passed out on air mattresses set up throughout the house. That's right. I attended an adult slumber party! And you know what? It was just like I remembered from being a kid. Giggling all night and then waking up groggy and not feeling all that well...ugh. I was actually better off than most of us - I was not puking. But my head was trying to kill me, and my eyes couldn't stabilize on one thing for very long. That made for a very long road trip home to my husband.

Guess what? He wasn't mad at me at all. I am very proud of him. Things are looking up again, and I appreciate that. And hooray for the Q, my Q-net buddies, Joanne and her followers, Nikon Camera Corporation, Guinnes, Verizon Phones and Service, Jaegermeister, Patrick's, the Cute Little Boy that kept asking me to dance, Live Music, Soul Train, Ambrosia Cake at 330 A.M., Bailey's Irish Cream, Taxi Cabs, Toll Roads, Excedrine, and Flip-Flops.
Hooray I say! ;)

Now if I could just stop shivering...

A Bit Myopic...

The Banner Bistro Staff

I can't see without my glasses or my contacts. Oh, I am not blind...I just see fuzz around all objects and I definitely can't read anything, including the clock on my husband's side of the bed. (I am not allowed to have a clock on my side of the bed because I hit snooze before I actually wake up. Makes for bad, late days, that habit.)

Yesterday I practiced my normal routine of showering, lotioning and then preparing to put in my contacts. Only - I couldn't find the lens-holding case ANYwhere. I looked on the floor. Behind the toilet. In the bathroom trash. In all the drawers. Under the sink. Branching out into the living room, I looked under the buffet. The china cabinet. The entertainment armoir. The couch and chair. I begged the children to PLEASE tell mommy if they were just playing a joke and they had my contacts secreted away some place. I tried to bribe the cat ( she likes to steal objects and bat them around into irretrievable places, like under the oven...or J's shoes...ewww) to show me where she put them. I searched the kitchen, my bedroom, I even questioned my sanity (Do I now walk in my sleep and steal my own contacts?), I called my husband at work...they were just nowhere. NOwhere! Which meant I had to wear my glasses to work.

My staff is well aware that when I wear my glasses to work it usually means that I have been out all night, and cannot get my eyeball to accept any foreign objects. They also know that their day will be tense as my grouchiness tends to be all-enveloping. I had a difficult time convincing them that my glasses were not an indication of a stressfull day ahead. Especially because I felt very stressed! WHERE were my contacts?!

Drew suggested I had a poltergiest. I decided that if that were indeed the case, after a call to my eye doctor I would also call a realtor. I don't need a playful ghost stealing my sh*t!

Jerry suggested that the cat knocked them into the toilet, and one of the kids flushed them down. I thought that was quite a long shot. Flushing toilets is not one of the kids' strong points.

Anne just nodded and smiled knowingly and said, "By this time tomorrow, you will have found them and all will be well." That gave me the shivers...she seemed so confident. And spooky.

I resumed the hunt when I got home from work, loudly complaining about my family's obvious lack of concern that I COULD NOT FIND MY CONTACTS! Sighing condescendingly, Jerry told me to recount word for word what I had done the night before. (Regarding my lenses, of course...the children were listening...)

• I finished off my glass of wine.
• poured a little more wine.
• Washed my hands.
• Took out my lenses.
• Put them in their holding case.
• Got out my glasses case - removed my glasses.
• Sipped my wine.
  
• Placed glasses on my face, and put contacts...in...my...glasses....case....ohmygawd.

Yep. Since I had never had a reason to put my spectacles away for the day, I never even opened up the case, and of course, when I ran into the bathroom to check, there were my contacts nestled ohsolovingly in the silk lining where my glasses usually rest.

Anne was right, btw... and that is still spooky.

I am having more wine right now - I might have another funny story to tell you tomorrow if all goes according to preset trending.

OOOoooops. *sigh*

First off, I would just like to say that my world has gone batty. Bonkers. Crazy. Freakin' unbelievable. Although I am very happy to have the children in school, the amount of stress incurred by trying to meet buses, sign all paperwork, remember what time each child is doing what, and making sure each child actually has shoes on before leaving the house is making my head throb. I have a job, fgs! How do other mommies DO this?! I believe I will have another glass of wine before continuing...

Okay. Better now.

Lake Winnipocket (sp?)

Here is the lake I float around on when visiting mom. Just hours of me and the fish and the sun...it really is heaven.

Thursday of my vacation started out just that way - floating. First on my back for an hour or so, and then I layed on my belly. Had to take off the sunglasses so that I could lay comfortably, of course. There really aren't very many places to put your glasses when you are out in the middle of a lake on an airraft, so I put them next to my head where they were sure to be safe. Only I didn't make allowances for a rapid movement of my arm to shoo away the dragonfly that had landed on my leg...yeah...the glasses went to the bottom of the lake. And they were my favorite, too. I was ohsosad...

When I finally came in from all the floating and sighing and whimpering, I was surprised to hear that I was going to Town for a random errand - an errand that was sure to take me near a Target. (Don't all errands take you to or near a Target Store?) After a long and wind-y drive through the forests, we emerged in some sort of shopping center that indeed have the store I needed the most. And a Circuit City. Which is apparently where my mom's errand was to be completed. That lady marched right in the door, straight to the camera section, and very cooly announced, "I will take a Nikon D70, please."

Whaaa? Knowing that she already had that model, I was confused and fascinated by her indulgence.

"We don't actually have that model, ma'am. The D80 has arrived, and we are all out of the one you are referring to. And the D80 is on sale! One thousand dollars...same price as the D70..." and that is where my comprehension level failed me.

One thousand dollars? Fgs.

"No thank you," mom replied, "I want a D70. Will you please check with your other stores to make sure there isn't one in inventory?" While one clerk complied with her wishes, the other tried to sell her a D50! (Silly boy. They don't know my mom.)

After finding out that the inventory was indeed depleted, my mother marched me across the street to a mall and repeated the same routine at a camera shop. And, to her glee, they did indeed have the D70.

Which it turns out - she was buying for me.

Can you believe this? For me. ME! Ohmygawd...me...

Everyone in the shop was so excited for me, and made a giant show of the "taking ownership of the new camera" ritual. The salesgirl put on the strap, placed it around my neck, and wished us good and happy picture taking - the perfect culmination to an amazing surprise.

Walking outside with my $1000.00 camera was like entering the world anew - so many pics to take, so little time! Only... as I took my first step into the parking lot my beautiful, amazing, fantastic camera fell right off my neck. Dropped- and shattered on the asphalt with a sickenly metallic sound. Broke. Done. Irretrievable. Complete devestation. Scr*w me in the head - I just broke the camera my mother bought me and I have had it less than 20 minutes...

Mumbling and sighing incoherently, I was led/pushed back into the mall - back into the store where my fantastic adventure had begun only moments before. Only to be ended by this senseless tragedy. "Oh no!", the salesperson said, "What HAPPENED?". I was apparently unintelligeble at this point, but somehow the tragedy was explained sufficiently enough for her to say - much to my amazement - "Oh, honey. Let me get you a new one. That was completely my fault because I put the strap on wrong, I bet." Whaaaa?


That camera store gave me a brand new camera, no questions asked, no paperwork involved, no exchanged exasperated looks...a brand new camera. With the strap on correctly.

And then I went and got new sunglasses.

WOOHOOO! Thanks mom! ;)

The Ocean, She Rules Me...

Still talking about vacation here, folks. I am all about living in the moment, but oh-so-very-cool events must be documented thoroughly. And we have only covered the Airport, Security, FBI/CIA/whoever they were, and Airplanes. We must move on quickly before I forget the exact details and start making up my own eclectic timeline.

Our plane landed in Boston, MA on Tuesday morning. That is the last thing I know about Tuesday. I slept. All. Freaking. Day. And night. Aaaargh!

Now WEDnesday - that was a great day! Wednesday is the day that my beloved step-father Bob drove me to Manchester, NH to meet my internet friend Terri2005 from the Quitnet. I have corresponded with her daily for almost a year and a half either by Email, Qmail or txt mssge. I have even seen pics of her and her family on the blog scene - but meeting in person was aMAZing!
She and Kathie were delightful company, and we shared a great lunch giggling and talking random things...I adore her. Terri is much littler than I imagined - shorter than ME, anyway. Her personality online is very expansive and gregarious so I really expected to meet someone about 6 foot tall. So much wonderfulness in a petite little person...how great is it to actually meet someone for the first time who lives clear across the country and feel like you have known them your whole life?! Unbelievable...

Mom & Bob met us after lunch and then began the traditional trek to the ocean. I am partial to Rye Beach - have to go there every time we get back East. So magical...so mystical...I have a reverent awe of that spot in the vast world. I actually cried the first time I arrived there - sobbed even. The children frolicked and the adults walked the beach, just soaking in the sun, the wildlife, and the soul altering sound of the waves. I listened with great interest to Mom and Bob discuss the feasibility of purchasing a house in the vicinity. If anyone could make that happen, it would be my mother! And I think I would move right in. Even if it meant living in the closet...

* I am trying to post a pic of the babies and I playing in the waves right now...BlogSpot isn't letting me. I swear there are no thongs. Whatever.*

I love watching the children trying to absorb the greatness of the Ocean, drinking in their fascination with the beach sand, sea shells, and the various live treasures that they insisted I hold on to for them. Do they feel the same spiritual connection I do? Do they hear the same timeless sounds that echo in my ears for days after visiting? Does their heart pound when they smell the lush green and clear blue air? (Don't ask me how air has color. It just does.)

After a nice dinner at Ray's Lobster Station, our dreams were full of rolling waves and gently rocking boats...Good Lord, I can't wait to get there again.

Honey, I'm Home...

Wow...what a vacation!

I wanted to start off telling you about Airports and Airplanes. Mostly because I am so fascinated with how people miss their flights and what that must do to your nervous system. Not to mention your wallet.

This is what the sky looked like on the way TO the Airport last week, by the way. (If you are wondering why I am capitalizing the two words starting with Air, it is simply because I have learned that Airports and Airplanes must be shown huuuge respect in order for everything to go smoothly. Don't p*ss off the Air-words.)

Because we fly jetBlue, our flights back East are always very late at night. Because my husband usually drops us off at the Airport, we have to go very early so he can get home and get to bed at a decent hour. Which leaves us in the wind for a few enjoyable hours - hours spent shopping, eating, reading, and people watching. Oh. And getting through Security. (Another word to capitalize...)

Now remember, I have three children to entertain: this means going up and down the escalator one million times, TCBY at an ungodly hour, pleas for Gatorade and many trips to the potty. Although we got through security just fine and got to our concourse just fine and checked in our luggage just fine - I was completely frazzled when we learned that our flight was an hour behind schedule. Soooo...I decided that I would do a very logical thing: I would go have a smoke. I would simply go back out the way I came and it would kill a few minutes and save the children from certain death-by-strangulation. Besides, it would be several hours before I could afford myself that luxury again.

My time outside was wonderful. And then I got a txt from my daughter: The plane had arrived after all, and they would be boarding in 20 minutes. (Here is where I learn how stressful it is to be late for a flight.) The mad dash back inside must have been comical, because I got pulled out of line in security and shown to my own private screener...ohmygawd.

First thing she asks me is, "Have you been here before?".

I replied that I had, but had foolishly stepped outside for a smoke and needed to pass through quickly if possible. Smiling, (evil-like, now that I look back on it) she told me to enter this small plexi-glass booth and stand very still. Which I did. And then she SHOT me with SEVERAL puffs of rapid fire air...I swear I thought I had been killed. I screamed of course, and hit the ground which is exactly what you are supposed to do when being shot.

Laughingly, (smirking, really) the Security Demon told me to come on out...to which I shrieked something like,"You really should tell a body before you do something like that!".

"Dear, you told me you had been here before!" she giggled.

I tried hard not to mumble and pee my pants simultaneously while explaining that I had been through the NICE Security Line - the only crime I had committed to deserve this was going out for a smoke! To which she replied, "Guess you won't do THAT again, huh?". Ugh.

Needless to say, it was some shaky legs that carried me back to the terminal where I had just enough time to take the kids potty once more, and then collapse on our seats in the Airplane. Which was pretty close to departing on time...Until the steward noticed that the two guys DIRECTLY behind me were almost unconscious. (Apparently, they went to the bar instead of going out for a smoke.)

Deciding that it was too dangerous to leave the drunkards in the aisle reserved for quick escape in case of Aircraft Malfunction, they asked them to switch seats with two lovely ladies up front. And switch they did. Which should have fixed everything. Except for the ladies popped right back up again, demanding their original seats back. Unbeknownst to all, the gentlemen had vomited on the floor...and the seats...and on the Airsick Bag. So of course, the Airline Staff asked them to exit the Airplane and take a later flight when they were sure to feel much better. So, leave they did...but not before assaulting the First Officer on their way off the plane! Whaaa?!

It seems that assault on an Airplane is a Federal Offense - requiring a visit from the FBI or the CIA or whoever it is that takes 1 1/2 hours to arrive in their unmarked cars to haul drunk b*stards to the pokey.

Our Airplane left the tarmac three hours later than planned. I could have smoked a whole damn pack by then.

Oh, by the way... I tried the whole leave-the-terminal-and-brave-Security-again-to-have-a-smoke in New York on the way home, too. With much calmer results. Our plane was 15 minutes early arriving home.

God Bless Airplanes and Airports and Security. And also the FBI/CIA/IRS/whoever it is...

...Leaving On A Jet Plane...

I took this picture at Rye Beach in New Hampshire. It was my first visit there - 2003. When I leave it hanging on my desk I suffer from tremendous wanderlust...
The kids and I are going back East tomorrow night for a week. I am overwhelmingly excited, not only to see the sights again, but to hang with my mom and to experience the world through her magical eyes. Even the color of things are different when I am with her.
Right now, I am trying to wrap things up in a manner that completes the minimal amount of what needs to be done. I think this is the first time I have failed miserably in completing a monumental task - one that I had started anyway. It will still be here when I get home. Ugh. Not going to think about that right now...
I think I already left the state, with or without a jetplane!

I Will Get To It Tomorrow, I Promise

Look what I found! A whole bunch of CD's that I would put off listening to that deal with procrastination! The answer would surely lie here, folks...for only $550 (or so). Putting things off seems to be an expensive problem.


I am procrastinating, for sure. So many things to do...things I don't wanna do...laundry, yardwork, paperwork, dishes, etc. So what have I accomplished? I have pinpointed everywhere that Dropping Daylight will be playing with Mercy Fall in a 500 mile radius in the next two months (nowhere I can go...). I have mapped out meeting places in NH for me and a 2D friend from the Quitnet - I now know that HWY 93 goes through Concord, and that Manchester is a long way away from anywhere I know anything about. I also checked the future temperature for the beach, inland and generally all of New England so that I know what to pack. IF I ever start packing. I went to see a band I have never heard of just because we were on the VIP list and did not have to pay $20 ea. to get in. (We left after two songs. Too hot, too smelly, too many people who believe in pungent armpit hair and dredlocks and entire wardrobes of hemp, and who needed to stand really close together to get the full experience...ewww. Turns out it was a Grateful Dead cover band. Good stuff for sure, but omg...the funk of humanity was horrendous.)

Here are the things I need to get accomplished in the next 48 hours.

• Clean my house
• do that stupid paperwork
• Pack- four people, eight days
• Work a catering for a wedding tonight
• Finish up School Clothes Shopping
• Groceries
• Bank
• Sleep?

It isn't so much about what needs to be done, as how it speaks to my propensity for leaving everything to the very last minute. It drives me crazy...
Wish me luck. Gonna go start something...;)

We're Not In Kansas Anymore...

At my little Bistro, alot of money changes hands everyday and I am always on the lookout for counterfeit bills. I find myself a little suspicious of the family that comes in two or three times in one day with a fresh $100.00 bill every time they pay a $13.00 (or so) ticket...claiming that to be the smallest denomination they have, although I know I have given them at least 6 $20's in the previous hours. 'Tis not my place to search the wallets and purses, but I just think that scenario is a little unlikely! I have been known to miss, however, a Canadian penny or some other coin from a random country.

Today I pulled a complete bonehead.

While counting the quarters and fussing to myself about having no $1's and $5's thanks to TheOneHundredDollarBill Family, I came across an odd and unfamiliar coin. Pulling at my hair a little and gesturing wildly with my other hand, I moaned,"Now, WHO took the coin from Kansas?!!!"

Oh, trust me. There are many, many more terrimoments. Just. Like. That.