Sit Down. Let’s Talk.

Talk about what?

This and that.

Where to start? 

I’m in a rut!  I’m not going on vacation this year.  I’m not even taking a vacation day this summer.  My hubs gets to travel on business which will at least break up the monotony! 

Me?  Nope, I’ll be home doing the same thing I did yesterday, today and will be doing tomorrow. 

I’m tired.  I’m bored.  I’m feeling a little trapped in life.

Yes, I’m whining.  See, this is where you encourage me to look at the bright side, or give me ideas as to what I can do to get out of this rut.  At least tell me to “suck it up butter cup cause this is what you applied for when you ran from home at 18 thinking you knew more than anything you could learn at some college.”

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m thankful for my health, my family and friends.  I’m thankful that I have a job to complain about.  I’m thankful that my bills are paid.  I’m just in a rut!

Perhaps next weekend when Suz leaves for Greece and hubs leaves on his business trip I will pack my bathing suit, a good book and an ice chest full of something cold to drink and head somewhere with sand and water.  I will ask (tongue in cheek) the kids if they want to go.  I may take the dog.  But I think I’m just going to go!

“Skinny Bitchin”

I’m reading this “book”.  It’s really a journal.  Why?  Well when you see the words “A Get off you Ass Journal to Help You Change Your Life, Achieve Your Goals and Rock Your World!”; wouldn’t you read it too?

I’ve had it for a seven a few months and just got past the introduction.  Yeah, the first task had to do with relationships.  With this book, you don’t just read a bunch of “feel good” shit, there is space for you to write what you need to change, or what you could have done differently.  Then I think you’re supposed to act on it or something. 

Look, let me be honest.  I’m not good at facing reality.  I run from anything that screams conflict.  Don’t believe me?  Then why did I run from PA to TX at 18 with no place to stay and only 3 boxes of my worldly belongings?  I’ll tell you why, because my family is (was) bat shit crazy!  At the time I didn’t realize that just about EVERYONE’s family is crazy and the only dysfunctional family would be one that claims to be completely normal and, well, functional!

Anyhow, I picked the journal back up because maybe at 41 I should perhaps grow up.  No?

Don’t answer that!

So I picked it up yesterday and the 2nd page says “Know this and be okay with it:  NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU!”

Crap.  There goes any other delusion I may have.  Guess what?  I’m not good with people not liking me.  That’s why, if you look up the words enabler, people pleas-er, and the likes, my picture may be right there as a shining example of such phrases. 

Why am I boring you with all of this?

Simple, I am looking for ideas and suggestions to  deal with my little problem.  How does one simple become “okay” with the fact that not everyone will like them?

Come on friends, anty up.  Ideas?  Suggestions?  Lay em on me!

I’m A Grandmother Again!

 

OK, so it may be a grand dog, but still!  Look what Jessica adopted over the weekend.  He is a Yorkie.  He is 12 weeks old.  He weighs 4 lbs. and will get to about 6 or 7 lbs. full grown.  He is so freakin cute!

I asked Jess where he slept the first night.  He slept in bed with her!  He may be a bit spoiled; OK, he may be a LOT spoiled!

Onto other news, did you know that you can spend all day shopping for a suitcase and not find one?  Well, we found some, but they were either too big, too short, too fat, to wide, too expensive, too black, too boring, etc., etc.   Good thing Suz has 3 more weeks before she has to pack. 

Did you also know that shopping with Suz when it’s 104 can be adventurous?  Yup, sho is.  She will try to pull out of the parking spot……with the sun shade still up!  Fun times!

On that note I’ll say farewell!  Have a great day!

A Huge Part of My Growing Up – Gone!

When I was little, I’d say six or so, I wasn’t allowed to stay up and watch TV, but my sister was.  Even then I didn’t take “no” as an appropriate answer.  I was such a rebel. I used to sneak out of bed and hide on the stairs at night to get a glimpse of Charlies Angels through the banister.   I also sported the Farah Feather!  She was a very beautiful woman.  RIP Farah.

I used to know how to work it, even when I was little.  My dad worked the 3-11 shift at the post office.  I wasn’t allowed to stay up and wait for him to come home.  I used to tell my mom to let me sleep on the sofa cause I wanted to wait for daddy to come home so he could carry me up to bed.  Dad told her to let me so that he could tuck me in and give me a final kiss.  I usually would wake up when he came home.  He would eat his supper and enjoy his two beer limit.    Everyone else was asleep.  That was our time.  I would sit with him and we would watch Johnny Carson.  Ed McMahon was my favorite part of the show.  RIP Ed.

When I was FINALLY allowed to watch MTV (or rather, when my mom figured out the fight was useless and gave in) Thriller was HUGE!  When I think MTV I think Michael Jackson.  I haven’t seen many videos since that time that were as brilliant as Thriller.  Michael Jackson – you were a bit wacko, but you were a brilliant artist.  RIP!

Spinning

I went to a spinning class last night.  Wow!  What a workout.  I think I could have filled a bucket with my sweat.

I was a little intimidated at first, but the instructor was good and two of my neighbors that do this class regularly were there to enjoy the watching the torture encourage me.  Through out the whole class the instructor made sure my form was good, told me “we are doing this for 30 seconds, you do it for 15″, etc., etc. 

It must have been a good workout as when I went home, I sat down to watch the College World Series (go Horns), and fell sound asleep!  I woke up this morning and was RAVENOUS!  I even felt skinny this morning (until I tried to put on a skirt I haven’t worn for a while-grrrrr!)

I’m not sore in a “my body is rejecting itself” type of way.  My nether region however feels a bit bruised!  Those seats are not very comfortable.

Will I try this class again?  Yes.  Will I go buy an extra padded seat and bike shorts?  Abso-freakin-lutely!

Times, They Are A Chang en’

I’m not even sure if I spelled that right.  Whatever.

I know it’s been a week since there was an update.  I know that today is Tickle Tuesday.  I just don’t have my act together.

I was thinking about the lack of posts the other day and got this sudden feeling that my life has become boring.  We used to post daily.  Our posts used to be funny or full of info about our lives. 

SuZan has been swamped!  No time for her to post.  My schedule has it’s ups and downs.  Today, I have some time.  But there has been nothing exciting going on.  I mean, well, there are things that I can’t post about, but nothing that makes me go “I really need to blog that”. 

I think part of the reason is that two of my children as well as SuZan’s son are adults.  Yes, there are happenings.  Out of respect, I don’t feel that I should post a lot of what is happening. 

Never fear.  SuZan is about to go on a liberating adventure to Greece with her son.  I can not wait to live vicariously through her pictures. 

Me?  Well, let’s see.  I am going camping in July with daughter and her boyfriend.  Yes, camping in July in Texas.  No worries.  As per my camping instructions we will be staying in an RV with a bathroom, a/c and a coffee maker.  I told them I’d throw in a blender to assure that consumption of many margaritas is an option (I don’t drink beer-the beverage of choice of many campers). 

So I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t give up on us.  Pop in occasionally.  There will be updates.  There will be some exciting things coming up.  Really, check back. 

You know what they say about life?  Yup, it’s like a box of chocolates……..which is much like this blog…..you never know what you’re going to get!

I Totally Forgot What I Was Going To Blog About

I guess I’ll have to pull something out of my ass!  Lucky you it’s a big ass so I should be able to come up with something.

Thinking, thinking……Oh, I know.  My neighbor taught me a new phrase that her and her family use.

She’s got a gajillion kids, grand kids, spouses of kids, sisters, cousins, nephews, nieces, neighbors, etc., etc.  She is a very kind woman.  She is also very wise.  You can imagine that people call her regularly for advice, to vent, for recipes (this woman can cook), etc., etc.

I was sharing with her that now that two of my kids are grown, our relationship has changed.  I’m still mom, but they are adults, not children.  Sometimes they call for advice, sometimes to vent, sometimes just to say hey.  The only problem is, I’m still mom and I don’t always like to hear what they are telling me.  On that same note, I still feel that I need to solve the world’s problems (including theirs). 

Having an adult child is much like having a small child, the difference is the stove just gets hotter and the toys more expensive.  When your child is small, you tell them repeatedly not to touch the stove, it’s hot.  We all know the more you tell a child not to do something, the more inclined they are to do it.  Eventually they touch the stove, get burned and learn not to do that again.

In a certain sense, you can tell your adult children that they shouldn’t do this or that because…….you know the rest.  Usually our adult children think they know better, usually try whatever it is and occasionally end up getting burned.  Lesson usually learned.

My neighbor has a rule with her family.  If they call needing advice or wanting to vent, they will say “can I dip into your bucket”. 

If she is tired or going through a difficult situation she’ll say, “no, my bucket is empty, but I’ll be glad to listen.”  Sometimes that’s all it takes.  People feel better just talking about a situation and aren’t always calling to get a solution.

Sometimes she will say “my buckets full, do you need a suggestion or just an ear?” 

I think that’s awesome.  What a great way to communicate.  She (especially with her children) is distinguishing if she needs to be worried and help come up with a solution, or if she just needs to be the “go to” person, someone they know will listen without judgment.

So now you know, if I ever call (or email) and say “Can I dip into your bucket”, you will know that I’m not being nasty!  Bwahahahaha

Sheri Celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Her 21st BDay

There was food….

Friends……..

and fun……….

What more could a girl want?

To see more pics, check out Flickr.

Have a great weekend!

A Friend In Need

Friends – we have an internet friend in need.  SuZan and I ”know” her through the internet and hope to meet in person one day.  We have commented back and forth on the blogs.  She has cancer.  She has a special needs child at home as well as a young son.  She is not doing well with the last chemo treatment.  Please go read this post. 

While your at it, check out the rest of her blog to get a feel for what kind of person she is.  She is a very strong, positive person. 

She needs our positive thoughts and prayers.  Please offer some words of encouragement and keep her in your prayers!

Would You Like Something Different?

Well then, say it with me….It’s not Monday; and it’s not Humpday; so it must be Tickle Tuesday.  Tickle Tuesday is our attempt to lighten your load and make your week a little brighter!

Two informally dressed ladies happened to start up a conversation during an endless wait in the LAX airport.

The first lady was an arrogant California woman married to a wealthy man.

The second was a well mannered elderly woman from the South.
When the conversation centered on whether they had any children, the California woman started by saying, “When my first child was born, my husband built a beautiful mansion for me.”

The lady from the South commented, “Well, isn’t that precious?”

The first woman continued, “When my second child was born, my husband bought me a beautiful Mercedes-Benz..

Again, the lady from the South commented, “Well, isn’t that precious?”

The first woman continued boasting, “Then, when my third child was born, my husband bought me this exquisite diamond bracelet.

Yet again, the Southern lady commented, “Well, isn’t that precious?”

The first woman then asked her companion, “What did your husband buy for you when you had your first child?”

“My husband sent me to charm school,” declared the Southern lady.

“Charm school?” the first woman cried, “Oh, my God! What on earth for?”

The Southern lady responded, “Well for example, instead of saying “Who gives a shit?” I learned to say, “Well, isn’t that precious”…