It's Monday. AGAIN. Meet Me On Monday #39

Yup, Monday's here all over again. 


Time flies when you're in the middle of a drama fest having fun. So, without further ado, here are this week questions as posted by Java at Never Growing Old.

Questions:

1.  What jewelry do you wear 24/7?
2.  Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
3.  How many siblings do you have?
4.  Were you named after anyone?
5.  Coke or Pepsi?


And my answers are:


1. Jewelry 24/7?


I do not wear any jewelry 24/7. I used to wear rings, but with fluctuations in my weight due to medications and effects of chronic illness, most of them don't fit anymore. Necklaces only get tangled up in my hair and earrings make my ears itch and turn red.


2. Twirl or Cut?


Neither. I break the spaghetti in half when I put it in the water and then pick it up with my fork and slurp it. Much like my children. I went through a phase after watching "Moonstruck" where I thought I would be cool and twirl it up against a spoon, but that was too much futsing around for me.


3. Siblings?


None. I am an only child. However, I consider a couple of my very best girlfriends my sisters. One  is also her mother's only child (her dad had several children from a previous marriage) and one has two sisters that are old enough to be her mother. So, I have adopted them as my "surrogate" sisters. I wonder if the fact that I was an only child has anything to do with how sensitive I am to my boys' incessant fighting? I didn't have anyone to fight WITH growing up. Except myself. And I'm pretty sure if that was happening, my parents would have sought professional help. I hope.


4. Named after anyone?


Yes. I am named after one of my mom's cousins. Her name was Lana (pronounced Lah-nah) and my name is Lana ("a" like apple La-nah - like Lana Turner. My hair is red too! Hubba hubba). Middle name Kristine, after my mother, after my great-great aunt Kjestina (she came from Norway with her parents when she was a wee one).


5. Coke or Pepsi?


coke! definitely coke. And not that sissy diet or zero stuff. Classic, all the way!


And that does it for this installment of Meet Me On Monday! Do come play!

My New Ahhsome Friend Sandi

Sandi over at Ahhsome.wordpress.com welcomed me into her Ahhsome Bloggers Community! I am so excited about this, I can't even tell you!

She's awesome. And, she thinks I'm awesome. And that's just way to "school for cool."

I recently posted about liking my popcorn with lots of butter and Montreal Steak Seasoning so Sandi created this most excellent button for me. I LOVE IT!!

TOTALLY cool!!

Thanks again Sandi!!

Oh yeah, and Happy St. Pat's Day! Don't drink too much Green Beer or Irish Whiskey! And, if you do, please please PLEASE have someone else drive you home!!!

You Can Make Them "Come-To-Jesus" But You Can't Make Them Drink The Kool-Aid

So.

We had the big Come-To-Jesus meeting for the FSS's Ex-Wife.

And it was all very pleasant. Nobody yelled. Nobody blamed. Nobody shamed. I maintained MY composure even though I was SCREAMING on the inside.

And lots of really good ideas were bandied about regarding how we can all participate in helping the CHILDREN get through this, get help, dig into the problems they are having - both at home with mom and now that they are living with grandma - and figure out how to let these kids just be kids instead of always worrying about grown up things.

But there was a GREAT BIG FAT ELEPHANT in the room that no one really touched on. Well, we touched on it, but The Ex's Ex flat out REFUSES to even consider it.

"Kay" lives her live in constant, severe pain. She has a bad hip. Has had for quite some time. It's why she had to quit her job 10 years ago, because she could no longer sit at a desk for an extended period of time. It's why she's having such difficulty functioning now. And I KNOW what that does to a person. I live with chronic pain myself. I know how it feeds depression. I know how the depression in turn fuels the pain. She uses conventional pain medication, and it helps a little. But she also uses medical marijuana, which I don't think is doing her any favors. Sure, it makes her not care about her pain, but it makes her not care about anything else either. 

She needs surgery. Hip replacement surgery. And she's afraid of it. Which I guess I can understand. But she's never even been to an orthopedist to find out EXACTLY what's involved. She's only ever seen her General Practitioner. I wish I could talk to the counselor she's going to be seeing and tell her she needs to work on this with "Kay." There's more to the story. I can feel it.

Up until yesterday, her excuse has always been the kids are too young. We all helpfully pointed out that maybe now is the perfect time since the kids are in "Etta's" care. Now her excuse is that she doesn't want to do it now and then have to have it re-done during her lifetime. Which, I guess, is a valid point. I wouldn't want to either.

But hip replacements last at least 20 years. And technology has advanced since the last studies were done. She may well NEVER have to have it replaced. And anyway, even if that is a real possibility, it would be better to have 20 good years with her kids NOW when they need her the most. Wouldn't it? By the time her hip shit the bed again, the kids would be grown and would be able to take care of HER.

I'm worried. What I see happening is "Kay" doing just enough to get her kids back and get all these people all up out of her face and then things coming back to the status quot that brought us to this point.

And, regardless of how I feel about the FSS, I love those children as though they are my own.

I don't know. I wish there was a surgery I could have done that would take away my pain. If there was, I would SO be drinkin' that kool-aid.

Conversations With My 6-Year-Old Over Oriental Trading Company

I had a rather interesting conversation with my son this evening. He had found the Oriental Trading Company catalog in the junk mail recycle pile. OTC is a novelty company that sells junk things a 6-yea-old sees as total treasure - temporary tattoos, mini-stamps, jelly bracelets, stickers, stickers and more stickers. He found something on every single page that he HAD TO HAVE!


Son: MOM! We HAVE to get some of these! Me & C could play with them!


Me: Yes, you certainly could.


Son: MOM! We HAVE to get some of these! ALL the GIRLS in my class would think I was SO  cool! (jelly bracelets, stick on plastic jewels, and glowing neon necklaces).


Me: (Gulp) They would?


Son: Yeah cuz, you know, girls like jewelry!


And so it begins. Actually, it began last fall during soccer - he had a little crush on one of his team mates. And she really IS a very cute little girl. But, by New Year's she had "moved on" and B now was "in love" with the next very cute little girl. This sparked another conversation.


Son: I really like "Jane." She's funny and really pretty.


Me: Jane? I thought you liked Sally?


Son: I did like Sally, but now she likes Johnny. Besides, Jane is prettier and way cooler.


Me: (Gulp) Okay.


Son: But I don't think Jane likes me anymore because when I try to play with her at recess she just turns around and walks away from me. (And let me tell you, the tone in his voice was so perfectly plaintive that my heart broke in about a gazillion pieces for him!)


Me: Well, you know. Girls can be like that sometimes. Just keep being nice to them and you won't have anything to worry about. Just be yourself. You are such a sweet boy. (Really?! He's only six and I have to explain the mystery of why girls can be so fickle? REALLY?!)


Son: I know.


Me: What do you know?


Son: That I'm such a sweet boy. You tell me that ALL the TIME, M O M !!


Me: Well it's true. You know what else is true?


Son: Well, you told me yesterday that I kinda look like Justin Bieber and I told that to Jane but she didn't think so.


Me: Well, did you brush your hair down over your forehead? 'Cuz that's what makes you look like him a little.


Son: No I forgot. I'll try that tomorrow.


All righty then. I can not WAIT until he is a teenager. (That was sarcasm, just in case you missed it!!)

And The Week Begins With A HUGE Upturn!!

I am so excited about this, I can't even begin to tell you!!

Copyboy over at Not Worth Mentioning has made me his "Blog of The Day!!"

Thank you so much Jesse! You made my day!!

Meet Me On Monday Blog Hop #38

Once again, it's Monday and time for Meet Me On Monday hosted by Java at Never Growing Old!

Come play along, won't you?!

This week's questions are:

1. Do you have a fireplace in your home?

No, sadly, I do not. I would LOVE to have one though because there is just NO heat like WOOD heat. The little meeting house where I go to my Al-Anon meetings has a wood stove. When I go to a meeting when it's cold outside, the warmth of that wood stove makes me feel oh-so-very-cozy. I have a spot in my house all picked out for it and everything. And if I actually owned my house, I would so be all over getting one installed. But, since I rent, I don't think my landlord would be all that excited about it. So, it will have to wait. 

2. Can you drive a stick shift?

Yes. I can. When I took Driver's Ed about a million years ago, we were required to learn how to drive a stick. (And because I live in Montana and took my Driver's Ed in January, I learned to drive in the middle of a blizzard!) As long as you're not picky about smooth starts and stops, I do just fine. And as long as I don't have to start moving forward going uphill, I'm okay. I get a little paranoid about letting off the brake and easing off the clutch when facing uphill. I'm always worried that I'm going to start rolling backward. Into the car behind me. Which, knowing my luck, would be a cop car.

3. How many computers are in your home?

That are in actual working condition? Four. Two are mine - a lap top and a desk top. Two are my roommates - also a lap top and a desk top. And then there are the two dinosaur desk tops that I keep thinking I will set up for my little peeps to play on. They are still sitting in the basement collecting dust. 

4. Are your taxes done yet? Do you do them yourself?

Since I didn't have any income of my own this last year, I didn't have to do taxes for myself. I did the FSS's taxes and managed to find him a refund. Only to have said refund confiscated by Child Support Enforcement for the back child support he owed for his other children. Yeah. Nice, huh?! 

5. What is your favorite meal of the day? 

 I would have to say breakfast. Although, I seldom eat breakfast food at breakfast time. We love, love LOVE pancakes and bacon for dinner. Or sausage patties and scrambled eggs on English muffins. Or French toast and sausage links. Or even just a big bowl of cereal. (My favorite is still Cap'n Crunch!)

 And there you have it. This week's Meet Me On Monday! Why not sign up and join in the fun!

The Low Down on the AWOL

I have had this pain in my side for going on a week. And no, it's not the figurative pain my children provide, but actual pain. Very annoying pain. I have odd aches and pains all the time (when my fibro flares it tends to do so in various areas - when it flares REALLY bad, it's all over) but this one started off relatively mild on Tuesday  night. I woke up in the middle of the night with a pain in my left side like maybe I had fallen asleep with my blanket or my nightgown bunched up underneath me. So, i readjusted everything and went back to sleep only to wake up Wednesday morning feeling like someone had kicked me in the ribs. By Wednesday evening, the minor annoyance had graduated into a major inconvenience and by Thursday evening, had migrated from my rib cage to my abdomen. Even the pain pills couldn't keep it under control for more than an hour or two, so, off to the ER I went. Four hours later after having been cathed, IV'd, x-rayed, and CT'd, I was told NOTHING was wrong. My white cell count was "slightly" elevated but my CT and chest x-ray looked "perfect." So, they patted me on the head, gave me a shot in the ass and sent me on my way.


I love it when that happens. NOT. There obviously is SOMETHING amiss, otherwise it would not feel as though someone had kicked me in the ribs with pointy toed boots! It is somewhat better now - back to the minor annoyance stage - but it's still there. And for an added bonus, the skin over top of the area that's paining me is now numb. Weird. Follow up with the Primary Care tomorrow.


My FSS's ex-wife is disabled. She basically has no hip joint left. She desperately needs hip replacement surgery. It's going to be an ordeal because along with the hip replacement, the doctors would need to break her femur in order to lengthen it. A long and painful  process, to be sure, but one that is necessary because as it stands now, she is unable to function. And by function I mean keep the trash in the garbage can and take the bag out to the dumpster when it's full; find suitable clothing for the children and keep it washed; do the dishes; cook; make sure they go to bed at a decent hour so they can get up and go to school the next morning; supervise the little boy enough that he isn't lighting dog houses on fire or blowing up gas cans; provide enough authority that the little girl (who is 12 and more than able to) does her chores; provide enough supervision so that these children aren't out terrorizing the neighborhood. You know, do ANYTHING besides sit in her recliner and smoke her "medical marijuana."


And because she is unable to function, her children - my step-children whom I dearly love - have been removed from her care and placed in the temporary custody of my Former Supposed MIL. Not that she's much more able bodied than the Mother. But, whatever. I was asked if they could come stay with me, but I'm having just about as much trouble managing my own two kids. Part of learning to live with chronic illness is leaning what your limitations are. Taking on two more children, regardless of how much I would like to, is simply not possible for me to do by myself right now.


This has been coming for a while. Child Protective Services has been to her home on several occasions to tell her she needs to clean her filthy house or the children will be removed. And, I guess sometime on Wednesday, they showed up at her house again. To find a filthy rat hole. Again. Gave her a day or two to clean it up. Again. Or the children would have to stay somewhere else while she gets her act together.


And it has finally come to that. As of after school on Friday, my step-children are now living with my ex-mother-in-law.


I don't know about anyone else, but I know that if Child Protective Services showed up at my door and told me I had to clean my house up or they were going to take my kids away, I would SO be up ALL NIGHT making sure it was spotless by the time they came back. I mean, you would be able to EAT off of my floors!! And I so know that my kids would be right in there helping me. They may only be 4 and 6 but they know how to sack up trash and pick up their dirty laundry.


But, apparently, she didn't think they were serious about taking the kids away from her so she took them to McDonald's and then out to Wal-Mart to get toys.


So now, sometime this week, Child Protective Services has decided that "we" (meaning The ex's ex, her 24-year-old son, the ex-MIL, and me) need to have this "family meeting." Because The ex's ex obviously needs some help. So WE all need to get together and see what WE can do to support HER so that this doesn't happen again. CPS even called MY parents to see if THEY would like to participate. (That's what led to the freak-out from my mother. CPS called their house and got my dad (I would have liked to hear how THAT conversation went) who called my mom who called me and wanted to know WTH??!!)


ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??!!!


I don't know. Maybe I'm over-reacting. But come the hell on. NONE of us are doing okay since the Former Supposed Spouse departed a little over a year ago. He was her sole source of physical help and my sole source of income. We've all been kind of left in a tail-spin. We're all struggling. And now, I'm feeling a little bit - I don't know - cornered, I guess. Like, even though I'm having trouble keeping up and it takes all I have to just do the bare minimum, now suddenly CPS wants me to drop everything and be at this "Come-To-Jesus" meeting to see what WE can do to help HER?!


The rest of us may not be doing it perfectly, but at least the rest of us are at least making an EFFORT. I don't always feel like cooking (Thank Goodness for Chef Boy-Ar-Dee, Indeed) but at least I have the common sense to know that when I have NO MONEY I shouldn't be feeding them McDONALD'S four days a week and buying new toys. And you know, more often than not, we are digging clean clothes out of the laundry basket instead of drawers but at least they're clean. I make sure my cat has a box to use and, even though I HATE it, I clean it out when it starts to smell because I HATE the STINK even more than I hate cleaning it out. And I would be MOR-TI-FIED if my kids went to school smelling of cat poop.


She's been offered help with the cleaning. Disability will PAY FOR someone to come and help her a couple days a week. She turned them down. If someone offered me help a couple of days a week, I would SO be ALL OVER that! She's been offered counseling for herself. She turned THAT down. So, you know, I have a hard time finding the willingness to help her when she WON'T help herself.

AWOL - Absent With OUTRAGEOUS Leave

Okay, so I know I've been pitiful about posting and reading and commenting this week, but let me tell you, it's been a doozy over here! the list of this week's activities includes, but is not limited to, a four hour stay in the emergency room, a call from Child Protective Services, and a freak out from my mother.

Details to follow soon. I'm off to my former supposed MIL's with the air mattresses so that the children have somewhere to sleep.

Another Authentic Flaw: Nothing is as complicated as I make it....

And that's another one of my authentic flaws - my ability to make EVERYTHING ten times more complicated than it is or has to be.


I read this little gem in my little book of reflections today:

"In other cases, my resentment is based on a persistent pattern of

behavior I'm not willing to accept. I forgive the other person because

that's what I need to do for ME. Sometimes the forgiveness process

fosters deeper unity and connection between people.

Sometimes, it points to an exit sign."

*sigh*


The FSS (former supposed spouse) called last night to tell me he has been approved for the WATCh (Warm springs Addiction Treatment and Change) Program. Again. This will be the second time he's been through it. And he started rattling off all the things that are going to be different this time. Again.


And while I hope that it really will be different this time, I am not holding my breath. The smart money just isn't on that bet. And even if it is different, it will be different without me. In the seven years we were together he has spent almost half that time behind bars and/or fences (with and without razor wire) of one sort or another. And the last three times I've waited - sometimes patiently, sometimes not so much -for him to come home thinking all the while that THIS time it's gonna work. THIS time he's gonna get it. THIS is the LAST time this happens.


And every time he's been gone I have turned myself upside down and inside out trying to figure out what was wrong with ME that made HIM act the way he did. I tied myself up in knots and twisted myself into pretzels trying to make myself over into whatever he needed me to be - all the while not really having a clue what that might be - to a point where I no longer recognize myself.


And I guess maybe I'm a little pissed about that. No. No maybe. I am pissed.


But I'm pissed at MYSELF because - well for a lot of reasons, really - but the big one is this - I KNEW what he was long before we ever got together. His reputation well preceded him and his tales of "daring do" are somewhat legendary in our little town. But, I went there anyway. Actually, I ran there, away from the hell my first marriage had become, but that's a story for another day. Life with an active alcoholic actually seem like a picnic compared to what I was married to.


I'm pissed because I didn't listen to my gut when he got arrested the second time. My gut was telling me to run - run for the hills - but my back bone and my running shoes were nowhere to be found.


I'm pissed because despite the fact that I have tuned upside-in-outside-down and ran in circles trying to be better, stronger, smarter, tougher - deep down inside where the "real me" lives, I don't think I've really changed at all.


And then I was watching "Intervention" on A&E the other night and the counselor said something that clicked a little at the time and has been gnawing at me ever since.

"If you don't change, she won't have to"

Well, no wonder. I keep wishing for the happily ever after. He keeps promising one. I keep believing him and keep letting him come home. And sooner or later, the cycle repeats itself.


I told him the other night that maybe I'm the one that's no good for him. He hung up on me. And I think that says it all.

Meet Me On Monday Blog Hop (I think I'm addicted!)

Yes, yes, I admit it! I am hooked on these Blog-Hoppy thingys!! I can't help it! It's so much fun to spend a lazy Sunday hopping around reading other people's work and laughing out loud all day.


So, yes. Here's yet another one for Monday, appropriately titled "Meet Me On Monday" and hosted by Java at Never Growing Old. Every Monday, Java lists a set of five questions for us to answer and share with our bloggy friends so that we can get to know each other a little better. It's fun and I'm writing so I'm stretching my brain instead of rotting it away on Farmville or Cafe World, right?


This weeks questions are:


1. What is your favorite way to eat potatoes?


If I am feeling under the weather, nothing beats plain old instant mashed potatoes with butter and salt and pepper. Otherwise, I like them sliced thin and fried crispy in a little butter with garlic salt, fresh cracked pepper, some onions and a little parsley. Mmmmmm. See, now I'm hungry!


2. What was the last package that was delivered to your house?


We actually received two on the same say. One was replacement strings and a strap for Bryson's new guitar that he got for Christmas. (Because his mother doesn't know diddly about tuning a guitar and tightened the string to tight and snapped it!) The other was the boxed set of all the Harry Potter books. That was a red letter day in our house, baby! We were rockin' and readin' the whole rest of the day!


3. What is your favorite scent that you love to smell?


Do I really have to pick just one? Maybe, but I can't so here's a few for a few different situations. On a man, I love the smell of Axe Phoenix Body Spray and/or soap. MY favorite perfume is called Krishna Musk. It's a perfume oil that is incredibly unique and exotic - musk, mixed with some sandalwood and something else that I can't quite put my finger on - and it makes me feel oh-so-very-sexy when I wear it. I love the way the air smells right before and right after a good thunderstorm. And Fresh Cotton candles. And warm cake. And my grandma's house.


4. Do you smoke?


Yes. I do. A lot. And for a long time. And I know it's no good for me. But I enjoy it. I feel all empty inside without it. I tried to quit cold turkey once, and I sat in my recliner all day and cried. I'm gonna have to, and I know that because it's killing me AND my pocket book. But I just can't bring myself to do it yet.


5. Are your parents married or divorced?


My parents are still married, more or less happily, and have been for over 40 years. FORTY TWO to be exact. It's a fact that amazes me every day. And I am so thankful that they are still with me on this Earth and that we have a good relationship. We talk every single day, they really WANT to spend time with their grandchildren, and my dad makes THE BEST prime rib roast ever!


So there you have it. Five more things to know about me! Enjoy! And join in the fun!

Getting To Know My Fellow Bloggers

Kimberly over at A Spicy Boy, A Cat & My Fat Ass is hosting the Spicy Weekend Hop to give all us bloggers a chance to "meet" new people and have new people "meet" us.

Since I'm new to the whole blogging thing, I really appreciate opportunities like this to find other like-minded peeps. It let's me know that I'm not the only one with bats in my belfry!

If you would like to link up and join us, add your link to the linky-dink below.

And let the hopping begin!

Blog Hop - Gone But Not Forgotten

This is a blog hop hosted by Erin at Something Else To Distract Me. Today's task is to list our own favorite five shows that are no longer on t.v. This was hard to limit to just five but here goes:

5. ER - I remember when ER first came on, I was cooking at a restaurant and couldn't leave until 9 p.m. so it was a race to get home without missing more than the first five minutes or so. Most of my girlfriends fell instantly in love with Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney). My heart, however, was captured by Dr. Mark Green (Anthony Edwards - aka "Goose" in Top Gun.) When Dr. Green and his wife split up I would day dream about being cast to play his new love interest. My heart kinda broke when he died. I also had a little bit of a "girl crush" on Carol Hathaway (Julianna Marguilies - who is awesome by the way in "The Good Wife" Tuesday nights on CBS).

4. That 70s Show - The FSS (former supposed spouse) loved this show and would watch it almost religiously. I didn't think I would like it because I thought it was one of those "stupid-dumb" shows like The Simpsons. The first episode I really actually watched was the one where Eric is in line at the pharmacy in front of Donna's dad who is picking up her birth control pills for the first time. At the end of that episode Eric is sitting on the Vista Cruiser watching Donna walk away and Red, Eric's dad, turns the garden hose on him. After that, I was hooked. And now, every time I see pictures of me and my friends in grade school, I am struck by how much we resemble the cast.

3. Roseanne - I love Roseanne. She reminds me of me. I could relate so much more to the Connor's than I could, say, the Cosby's or the Keaton's. The Connors were real, and they were messy and kinda trailer trashy and they seemed like they could be any family anywhere. They weren't perfect and they didn't try to be. And there wasn't always a happy ending. And I loved that about Roseanne.

2. Mad About You - I remember the trailers that came out for this one. Paul and Jaimie are brushing their teeth before bed and taking turns spitting in the sink. Paul misses a beat and doesn't come up right away and Jaimie ends up spitting on his neck. I remember rushing to get home in time for this one too. They were two single people trying to figure out how to be a married couple and deal with the in-laws and the sister from hell and the stupid best friend and the other married couple friends and the neighbors from hell. Good stuff.

1. Boston Legal -  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why this show was cancelled. It was hilarious and socially relevant at the same time. I tuned in every week just to hear Alan Shore (James Spader) thunder away in the court room. And to see what kind of crazy-ass-shit Denny Crane (William Shatner) was going to try and get away with this time. David E. Kelley is a master of blending the off-beat, quirky and sometimes downright bizarre with current issues and socially relevant topics. (See also by David E. Kelley: Picket Fences, Ally McBeal, Chicago Hope, and LA Law). Happily, Mr. Kelley is back on NBC with Harry's Law on Monday nights which is equally awesome.

And there's my top five. With a couple of plugs for some current favorites as well. It was really hard to limit myself to just five. There are so many others I could mention - Picket Fences, Grace Under Fire, Charmed, Everybody Loves Raymond, Still Standing, Northern Exposure, Home Improvement.......and the list goes on.

What are your faves? Hop on over here and sign up.

Thank Goodness for Chef Boy-Ar-Dee, Indeed

The last couple of weeks have not been fun ones at our house.

What started two weeks ago as some sniffles and a stuffy head quickly degenerated into full-on sinusitis, followed by bronchitis, bilateral otitis media, and pharyngitis (also known as a sore throat). I would have called it tonsillitis, however my physician tells me that since I no longer have tonsils, I can no longer have tonsillitis. (I had a tonsillectomy in December 2009 at the ripe old age of 39. I do NOT recommend having that procedure done that late in life. Things that are really sweet STILL don't taste quite right.)

Anyway - a double course of antibiotics later and I'm happy to report that all of the "itis's" have left the building. Or, at the very least, are being shown the door. The building, however, is a little worse for wear. I am so worn out from fighting off all those nasty little germs that all I want to do is sleep. And for the last three days, that's pretty much all I have done - sleep. Get up and get Monkey to his bus. Sleep. Get Bug Boy to his bus. Sleep until they come home from school, get them a little snack and sleep some more. Get up and feed them, maybe get them in the tub, put them to bed. Sleep.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I'm glad the little boys are satisfied with foods that require a minimum of effort. I'm kinda feeling like the world's worst mom. And I hope they know I will make it up to them when I feel better. I think maybe some Monster Cookies might be in order next week.

The Lie Has Been Revealed......

You may recall, I also participated in the "Two Truths and A Lie" Blog Hop hosted by Liz at Random Thoughts of A Lutheran Geek.

And, as promised, here is my lie:

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a clean freak! 

That's #3 on my list, in case you were wondering. (Click here to see my original post.)

On any given day, there are multiple finger prints on any t.v. screen in my house. If I dust, it's only the front of the shelves - you know, the part that people can see. And more often than not, clean clothes are pulled from the laundry basket rather than a drawer. Sometimes they are folded, but that's the exception. The toys of little boys are usually scattered from one end of the house to the other and don't even get me started on the dishes!

I really did end up leaving the pool stretched out in the back yard with about 4 inches of water left in it. The kids "skated" on it in their snow boots until the snowpocalypse that has been the norm this winter buried it. Repeatedly. I wonder if i just let the snow melt into it, will I not have to fill it? Probably not. We got a LOT of snow this year, but not that much.

And yes, I have been known to have popcorn for dinner. I recently introduced my boys to the wonder that is JiffyPop. But sadly, it just doesn't taste as good as when it's cooked over the tiny gas camp stove while in the midst of the wilderness. I prefer to make mine on the stove in my giant stir fry skillet. I top it with REAL butter because anything else just makes the popcorn wilt and shrivel away to nothing. And if I'm feeling spicy, I add some Montreal Steak Seasoning. It's not just for steaks anymore.

Check out some of these other sublime bloggers and see what their lies turned out to be!

Happy Monday!

Super 8 Debut Albums - Blog Hop Fest

The task given in this blog hop was to list our favorite debut albums. I think there may have been a requirement that they be "super" debut albums and, well, I don't know that everyone would agree with me as to their greatness. But what I do know, is that the first time I heard them, I loved them and was instantly hooked and had to hear more.  So away we go!

8.  Vixen - Vixen 1988 - I am now, and forever will be, a child of the 80s - BIG hair and all! Their follow up albums weren't as good but this one was awesome and proved that the girls could rock just as hard as the boys!

7. Skillet - Skillet 1996 - Never thought I would like Christian anything until I heard these guys (and girls) and have been hooked ever since. God ROCKS!

6. Nickelback - Curb - 1996 - I love these guys! They rock, they're sexy, maybe even a little dirty (She Didn't Make It This Far....) and they have continued to get better and better. I have ALL their albums and they just get better and better and better!

5. The Wreckers - Stand Still, Look Pretty - 2006 - This duo is made up of Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp, each of whom had their own musical careers before teaming up for this album. It's awesome. the harmonies are sublime!

4. Wynonna Judd - Wynonna - 1992 - I already loved The Judds and Wynonna all grown up and on her own did not disappoint! The girl can sing like nobody's business AND she has red hair. Like me. So, she's awesome anyway!

3. Poison - Look What The Cat Dragged In - 1986 - I have to admit, the boys of Poison were so pretty that the first time I saw them I wondered if they were boys or girls. (They're almost as hot as the girls of Vixen!) They were the ultimate glam-stadium-big-hair-80s rock & roll band and I loved them instantly and still do!

2. Pat Benatar - In The Heat of the Night - 1979 - I remember roller skating to Pat Benatar at Little Wheels roller rink and playing her on the jukebox at my 10th birthday party at Little Big Men Pizza. I have all of her albums and can probably sing all her songs by heart. I was always amazed that such a BIG voice could belong to such a tiny person. Again, she's proof that the girls can rock as hard as the boys!

1. Def Leppard - On Through The Night - 1980 - And finally, my first love and favorite band of ALL time. They were killer then, and they still are. They have overcome adversity - their drummer only has ONE ARM!! - and are still one of biggest, baddest bands out there still today. On Through The Night hooked me, and each subsequent album kept me coming back for more.

And there you have it. My Super 8 Debut Albums. I'm not sure they all "rocked the world" but they certainly rocked mine. Don't forget to hop on over the other bloggers participating by clicking on the linkys below.

Thanks to Larry at DiscConnected for hosting this blog-hop. What a trip down memory lane!!

You Know You Live In Alaska When.....

I have been known to watch some rather odd things on television since we got all "dished" up.

Today I was watching "Alaska State Troopers" on the NatGeo channel. They were filming a bit about fishing in Dutch Harbor and the cameraman (or woman) panned around to take in the bald eagles. What beautiful birds the are. And my, what BIG birds they are.

Big enough, in fact, to not be at all intimidated by us mere humans.

The trooper who was being interview was telling a story of how his son had been attacked by the stately birds and now, the elementary school children had to be escorted from one building to the next for fear of being swooped down upon and carried off by bald eagles.

Coming Up On Monday.....

It's time to get my groove on with the lastest blog-hop!  I get to pick my favorite 8 Debut Albums. This blog-hop is Hosted by DiscConnected. Sign up below and join in the fun!!

Also coming up on Monday, The Lie Shall Be Revealed from the 2 Truths & A Lie! Good guesses all, everyone who participated. In reading everyone else's post, we are a very interesting bunch!

Sick, Tired and Cold

This has definitely been one long cold winter. And one long winter cold. Most days, and especially when my thermometer dips WAY below the zero mark, I don't feel good. The cold makes my muscles stiff and trying to use them when they're stiff make me sore, so I take it easy in the winter. I take it easy a lot.

This last week, however, I have also been blessed with what I can only describe as Mutant Martian Annihilation-itis. Otherwise known as several different -itis's strung together - bronchitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, and sinusitis. Although, I don't think I can technically call it "tonsillitis" anymore since I had them removed last December. Not something I recommend a grown person have done if it can be AT ALL avoided!!)

Anyway.

I'm sick, and I'm tired, and I'm going to bed. And if you don't hear from me, don't worry. I'm probably just buried under a pile of tissues and will be back as soon as I can tunnel my way out!



What do you do to make yourself feel better when you're sick?

I HATE It When Commercials Make Me Cry......

I really hate it when commercials make me cry. And the ones from The Foundation For A Better Life routinely do just that. The one I saw tonight, however, was over the top.

And if you REALLY want or need a good cry, here's the full video for the song, 'You Can Let Go Now, Daddy' by Crystal Shawanda.

Now I gotta go get another box of tissues!

Two Truths and A Lie - A Blog Hopping Carnival

Here are some "facts" about me. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to decide which of the three "facts" are actually a lie. Give your answer in the comments section and then hop to the other blogs to keep the fun going! Click here to see the big reveal!

Fact #1: I neglected to put the kids' swimming pool away at the end of the season and left it lying in the backyard. They have used it as an ice rink all winter. 


Fact #2: I have been known to eat popcorn for dinner.

Fact #3: I am slightly obsessive compulsive about cleaning - the dishes are always done, the laundry is always folded, and there is never a speck of dust anywhere.