Happy New Year!!!

Then can we rest?

We had a great Christmas weekend visiting very dear friends down in Key Largo. The weather was beautiful, 80 degrees and sunny. Our Christmas dinner was a delicious seafood feast including crab legs, grouper filet, mahi mahi filet, shrimp, crab dip, and a few other items. Trevor got a few fresh bruises in the process of exploring a new environment, but overall it was a great visit.

We got home about 10:00 pm on Monday, and I had to work Tuesday morning. Most of our staff took this week off so we were running with a skeleton crew, some of us travelling from office to office together. One employee got an attitude with the doctor on duty and called him some interesting names including a racial slur. She then walked out. Another long-time employee had put in her notice and today was her last day. So now we have only 2 people to cover front desk, check out, and phones; one girl just started this week and the other is a part time employee. The doctor on duty this week is ready to hand in his resignation due to some other political b.s. which I won't go into now. The big boss comes back from vacation next week and I'm sure the proverbial shit will hit the equally proverbial fan. I feel like a housewife watching a saop opera, except it lasts 8 hours each day and I get paid.

At least I get to enjoy another 3 day weekend.

Actually, I'm kind of looking forward to Tuesday to find out what happens next. Damn those soaps, they always leave you with a cliffhanger for the weekend!

Best wishes to all for the new year!


-

A Budding Nudist

I can't keep clothes on my kid! He has figured out how to remove pretty much every article of clothing he has. And his diapers!

At first we thougth maybe he was taking his pants and diaper off because he was uncomfortable when he was wet or dirty. He usually fusses when he needs a change, though. We started checking his diaper more frequently.

I have come to realize that his removal of clothing and/or diapers has nothing to do with the condition of the diaper. Yesterday morning I changed his diaper and dressed him. Not 5 minutes later he was shirtless, had his pants around his knees and was working on the diaper.

I am thinking that it's probably about time he was toilet trained. If he wants to run around naked, I at least want him to potty in the toilet, not on the floor, like he did earlier in the week.

My husband came up with a solution(?) that seems to be working, at least for now. If we wrap a strip of duct tape around his waist, over the waistband of his pants, he doesn't seem to be able to take them off. I'm sure he will figure it out pretty soon. The trick is trying to stay a step or two ahead of him.

Has anyone else had this problem?


-

Live and Let Live

Everyone seems to be blogging and exchanging emails about whether it's appropriate to say Merry Christmas".

Of course it's appropriate! We supposedly have both freedom of religion and freedom of speech, right?

What I wish is that everybody would just go on and celebrate whatever holiday they celebrate, and not get offended when others do the same.

Wishing someone a happy holiday or a merry Christmas should be accepted as an expression of good will, and not another reason to be offended.


MERRY CHRISTMAS! (or whatever)

-

First Word

My son has finally actually spoken his first word. I mean "spoken" as in he said it on purpose and knew what he was saying. He makes a lot of sounds while babbling that resemble real words, but he doesn't really mean anything by it. He has since repeated this word several times, on purpose, meaning it.

Oh, I suppose you want to know what the word was?

It was "Daddy"! His father is very proud.

His mother is slightly jealous, but oh well.

"Tis the Season

I always put up my Christmas tree on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I did manage to get that done today, and as promised, here are the pictures:





















In the photos, it almost looks like one of those white trees that are supposed to look like they're covered with snow (I guess). It is actually made from silver foil and it is very shiny. Apparently these were popular for a while in the early 60's or thereabouts. Do any of you remember having one?

I guess it's about time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. I heard on the radio the other day, that December 23rd closely rivals Black Friday as one of the busiest shopping days of the year. As a usual last minute shopper, I thank the Good Lord for internet shopping with next day delivery! I haven't set foot in a mall in years.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

-

I'm Still Here

I know, I know, I haven't posted in forever! I could make excuses, but I won't bother.

My dad (John Earle) posted recently about the passing of his mother, my grandmother. While she was alive, I had no idea how much money she was worth nor did it occur to me that she might leave me something when she died.

Upon her passing, I was informed that there was in fact a sizeable estate which was to be divided between Grandma's son , daughter and 6 grandchildren. Well, OK, I guess this is alright. How does this work, I ask.

Then I found out how much money the government takes off the top in the name of "inheritance tax." Then, on top of that, they take even more tax from money left to grandchildren in the name of the "generation skipping tax."

I'm not kidding! Maybe you all knew this already, but I had no clue. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm upset about getting less money. I don't care about that. It's just, where does the government get off taking that much money from one's estate? No matter that you work and pay taxes all your life, they just think they are entitled to half of your money simply because you die? Crazy.

Anyway...

Plans for Thanksgiving. A friend from Key West has a property on the bank of a river about an hour North of where I live. It is a very pretty peaceful spot. He is throwing a little get together for family and friends with tons of food, beverage, music and good company. Since we don't live near enough to family, or have enough money and time off to travel, we will be celebrating with friends on the river.

This weekend we will put up our Christmas tree! I have a really cool, different kind of tree - I will post a picture of it next week.

I'm off to read all your blogs now...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

-

What Day Is It, Anyway?

Based on my morning, I would swear it was Monday, but that doesn't seem right...

First I overslept. I woke up in the middle of a very bizarre dream (which I have since forgotten) to realize I had only 20 minutes to get ready and leave for work or I would be late. This includes giving Trevor a bottle and changing his diaper.

I jumped in the shower and ran to hit the coffee. I made the unfortunate mistake of stopping at the computer. Never, ever, ever do this when you are running late.

I had a little message window up informing me that my computer couldn't find something. I didn't really care, so I tried to get rid of the little window. It wouldn't go away! No matter what I did, IT WOULDN'T GO AWAY!

This got me frustrated so I started closing things at random. During this phase, I lost some pictures my parents just sent me from their recent visit. We're talking about so many pictures that it took over an hour for them all to come thru. And we are both on cable high speed internet.

Incidentally, the window I was trying to close was still there.

I looked at the clock, said "Oh, shit!", grabbed my coffee and purse and left for work.

When I got going, I called my dad to tell him about my computer problems. As we were talking, I entered Interstate 75. The doctor I work for has 3 offices, all just off I-75. Yesterday I took I-75 south to our Sun City, FL office. Today I was supposed to go north to our Bushnell, FL office.

"Oh shit!" I said again. I just realized I was going south. I got off the phone and tried to get turned around. It took a good 15 or 20 minutes, because of the roads and traffic. My the time I got headed north, I had 20 minutes to drive 45 miles. Not gonna happen.

I got to work about 15 minutes late. Please don't figure out how fast I was driving.

I did make it to work, and yes, I called in to let them know. I sure do feel stupid though. As I was leaving work today one of my coworkers reminded me to take the northbound on-ramp tomorrow. I still haven't figured out how to retrieve my pictures from the computer.

Thank goodness tomorrow's Friday!!!


-

Me? Post About Golf? Ha!

Golf seems to a fairly popular blog topic. My dad, John, for example, has a little obsession going on. Those of you who read his blog, well, you know what I mean.

Anyway, someone emailed me this funny golf joke last night so I decided to post it today.

I started browsing some other blogs first, though, and happened upon Peter's. He has posted not one, not two, but eleven golf jokes. Pretty funny ones too!

Well, I'm glad it's not a contest, because I would have had my ass kicked.

Here's the joke anyway:


HONESTY

On the 2nd tee of the golf course with his wife, the husband says, "Twenty years ago I had a brief affair, it meant nothing. I hope you can forgive me."

His wife was hurt, but said, "Dearest, those days are long gone. What we have now is far more valuable. I forgive you."They embraced and kissed.

On the 17th tee, the husband was starting his back swing when the wife blurted out, "I'm sorry darling, I've been so conscience-stricken since you told me of your affair. Since we're being honest with each other, I have something to tell you also.

Thirty-two years ago I had a sex change operation, I was a man before I met you. I hope you can forgive me"

The husband froze at the top of his back swing, and then threw a fit! He slammed the driver into the ground, kicked the ball into the woods, stormed off the tee, pushed the golf cart over on its side, broke the rest of his clubs one by one, then started on hers.

He screamed and ranted, "You liar! You cheat! You despicable deceiver! How could you? I trusted you with all my heart and soul...

...and all these years you've been playing off the ladies tees!"


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Another Costume Idea...

Or not!

Don't forget to set your clocks - spring forward, fall back. We get an extra hour today!

-

What will you be for Halloween?

What a day! I had planned on posting today but don't really have the energy.

Well, I guess I have the energy to post a joke, but not to come up with anything creative.

Trick Or Treat!

A little boy and girl go trick or treating.

They knock on the door of this house and the man who answers it says, "Well, you two are awful cute. Who are you supposed to be?""We're Jack and Jill" the girl replied.The man says, "You can't be Jack and Jill, you're black!"

They go off and a while later they come back dressed differently.

They ring the do or bell and once again and the man opens the door."Well now, that is just darn cute. Who are you this time?""We're Hansel and Gretel" says the little boy."Well, I hate to disappoint you son, but you can't be Hansel and Gretel because you're black!" says the man.

Heads hung low, the kids leave.Not too much later the man hears the bell ring again.

This time when he opens the door there stand the two children but this time they are BUCK NAKED. "Oh my! And just who are you supposed to be now?!" he asks.

"Chocolate M & M's," said the little girl. "I'm plain. He's got nuts."

The Long Run

We have tried a number of times over the last couple years to buy a DVD recorder/player that actually works. We have a DVD player that works. And in the past we have had VCR's (video cassette recorders) that worked.

Well, a couple years or so ago, our VCR died, so we decided to upgrade to a DVD recorder. We bought one (inexpensive) that worked for about 3 months. Hoping it was a fluke, we traded that one in for another one just like it, which worked for about 6 months.

Then we bought another one, a different brand, slightly more expensive. It worked just long enough that we couldn't return it to the store. My husband smashed it with a hammer.

Then we bought a mid-range to expensive one that worked for the better part of a year. Guess what? Right. It soon went in the dumpster.

Yesterday we bought another one, yet a different brand, inexpensive to mid range. Yeah, we are gluttons for punishment. It was the most complicated by far of any of them. And once we finally got it figured out, we found it didn't work!

I had pretty much decided if I never got another DVD recorder it would be too soon.

This afternoon, the cable guy knocked on our door. He offered us an upgrade to digital cable (twice the channels) plus a DVR system (digital video recorder, like Tevo) for only about $5 more than we are paying now for regular cable.

And, if I switch over my phone and internet to this company, I get a package discount, so the total price is within $5-$10 of what we're paying now. There are lots of extras, so we are getting way more bang for our buck.

Sometimes things just work out for the best in the long run.

-

Joke Day

Peter at Holties House has invited anyone interested to participate in a blog joke day. This is not a meme, repeat, this is NOT a meme!

Here's how it works:

The idea is to pick a joke which everybody who wants to participate publishes on the given day along with their own joke, which may or may not be along the same lines.

This is the starter joke, and it's a reasonably funny one too.

Blond Joke.

A blind man and his guide elephant enter a bar and find their way to a stool. After ordering a drink and sitting there for a while, the man yells to the bartender; “Hey , you wanna hear a blond joke?”

The bar falls quiet. In a deep husky voice the woman next to him says; “Before you tell that joke, you should know something. The bartender is blonde, the bouncer is blonde and I’m a 1.82 tall, 90kg blonde with a black belt in karate. The woman sitting next to me is blonde and she’sa weight lifter. The lady to your right is blonde and she’s a pro-wrestler. Think about it seriously, mister; You still wanna tell that joke?”

The man says; “Nah, not if I’m gonna have to explain it five times.”


Now here's my joke:

One Sunday, in counting the money in the weekly offering, the pastor of a small Florida church found a pink envelope containing $1000. It happened again the next week.

The following Sunday, he watched as the offering was collected and saw a little old lady put the distinctive pink envelope in the plate.

This went on for weeks until the pastor, overcome by curiosity, approached her."Ma'am, I couldn't help but notice that you put $1,000 a week in the collection plate," he stated.

"Why yes," she replied, "every week my son sends me money, and I give some of it to the church."

The pastor replied, "That's wonderful, how much does he send you?"

The old lady said, "$10,000 a week."

The pastor was amazed. "Your son is very successful. What does he do for a living?"

"He is a veterinarian," she answered.

"That is an honorable profession," the pastor said. "Where does he practice?"

The old lady said proudly, "In Nevada....He has two cat houses in Las Vegas and one in Reno."
__________________________________________


Have a good weekend, everybody!

-

You're It!

Well, my dad tagged me with this meme. I have to answer the questions below and then tag 5 people to do the same on their blog. I doubt if 5 people even read my blog. Oh well, I'll give it a shot anyway.

1) One book that changed your life: This is a tough one, as so many books I've read have stuck with me and influenced me in some way. If I have to pick one, I guess it would be J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings." Yeah, I know it's fiction, but it's one of the first stories I remember reading and being totally enthralled with. I have read it a number of times. I have read many, many works of literature (being an English minor in college) but can't remeber any which have touched me the way this story has.

2) One book that you’d read more than once: only one? I read pretty much everything I enjoy more than once. The one book in my bookcase that I think of as "If I can't find anything else I feel like reading, I can always read this," is "River God" by Wilbur Smith. I can't even tell you how many times I have read this one.

3) One book you’d want on a deserted island: One story or just one book? If I could include a story consisting of 7 books instead of just one single book, I would say Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series. One of the best stories ever written, IMO. And, if you're on a deserted island, you want something long.

4) One book that made you laugh: Jimmy Buffett's "Tales from Margaritaville."

5) One book that made you cry: Again, "River God." Made me laugh too.

6) One book you wish you’d written: Not a writer so don't really care. Prefer reading to writing!

7) One book you wish had never been written: I can't answer this one.

8) One book you're currently reading: "Making the Terrible Two's Terrific" by John Rosemond.
(thanks, Mom!)

9) One book you've been meaning to read: Nothing right now. Pretty much like my dad said, if I want to read something, I just go get it and read it. If I have a new book I want to read, nothing can make me put it off for very long! I guess, if anything, it would be "The Da Vinci Code."

10) Tag five people: OK, how about M.E, Faith, Peter, Pointmeister, and Steve.

-

Changing Seasons

Summer is almost over. The last two mornings here in Tampa have been in the low to mid 60's. We went to the beach this past weekend, and while the water was still warm, the breeze was a little chilly when you came out. We may be able to make it to the beach once or twice more before the water gets too cold to be fun anymore. For me that's when it gets below 80.

Now it's time to start thinking about the Ski Trip!!! If any of you don't know, this is an annual event and a time honored family tradition (hence the capitals). We have made modifications and improvements on the trip and our stay in the mountains based on things we have learned from experience. Our destination, however, and the basic structure and logistics of the vacation have remained the same for 17 years. My son was not able to spend his first Christmas with any other family besides me and his father. But bringing him on his first Ski Trip with his matching sweater more than made up for it. The Ski Trip is as much, for us, of a tradition and time to celebrate family as any regular holiday is to anyone. Trevor is now part of an almost 18 year old tradition, and in a few more years he will look forward to it as much as any of us.



Other news: I took a test this weekend to attain a certification for my job. It is not required, but is definitely beneficial. I was a little nervous going in to it, but it wasn't as bad as I anticipated. They allowed 3 hours for the test, and I finished in about 1 hour. I was notified immediately that I passed (Yay!!!) but will receive the full results of what I missed and what I got right in the mail soon.

Have a great week!

-

Back to Life, Back to Reality

My sister has returned home, and I am now trying to get back into normal routine. I am so glad she was here this past week, as she helped me tremendously with car shopping. The insurance company deemed my car to be totaled, therefore I got a check from them and 5 days to get a new car before I had to return my rental (provided by them).

I ended up with a Toyota Sienna minivan, pretty well loaded. It is a 2000 model, but seems to be well maintained and the history (carfax) we ran indicated no accidents or mechanical mishaps. I am very pleased with it - I have even noticed a couple extra features that I didnt' even realize were there when I first bought the car. Bonus!!!

Today was definitely Monday. It seemed like everybody was still stuck on the weekend, and most of the patients we saw today were crazy. For example, one patient had a copy of test that had been run on her in our office a couple months back. She brought it in today and pointed out to the doctor that it had her age listed as 85 years. She is 75. Someone had accidentally entered her year of birth as 1920 instead of 1930. She accused our office of doing it on purpose to embarrass her. At first I thought she was joking. She wasn't.

Another elderly patient is being treated for glaucoma. This requires medication, and checkups every 3 or 4 months. This is standard practice with glaucoma patients, as even with treatment the condition can worsen suddenly, even after being stable for a long time. This woman had not been seen in almost a year and wanted refills on her eye drops. She was told she had to come in for a checkup and visual field test before the doctor would refill her meds as she had missed 2 appointments. She showed up today bitching and moaning and saying how this whole thing was just a "battle of wills" and we had resorted to threatening to cut off her medication to "force" her to come in to the office. Believe me, my day would have been nicer if I didn't have to deal with her. There's no way I would intentionally "force" her to be anywhere near me.

These were the 2 most extreme examples, but they pretty much set the tone for the whole day.

Is there a full moon tonight, because they're coming out in droves!

A Busy Couple Weeks

Hey everybody, sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have had a lot going on.

My parents (John from "Romantic Ramblings" and the famous photographer Carol) were down to visit last weekend. We had a great time! We celebrated my Mom's birthday (Sept. 10) and my husband Johnny's birthday (Sept. 17) at Buca di Beppo. This is a terrific Italian restaurant if you don't know. We had a blast with Trevor at the pool and at the beach. They only get to see their grandson a couple times a year, so every moment is precious.

We had a bit of bad news recently - found out that a dear family member was possibly within a day or two of passing away. Fortunately, a second opinion was obtained, some new treatment measures were introduced, and while her health is not perfect, she appears stable at this point, and is still enjoying life.

Trevor has 2 more teeth coming in - both his eye teeth (canines) on the top. I think the bottom ones will be appearing soon. He got his first 2 teeth at 5 months old, and now (17 months) has 12, plus the new ones coming in. He is the size of a 2 year old and loaded with energy. Stay-at-home Dad has his hands full!

I was involved in a minor car accident on Wednesday. Fortunately nobody was injured. I was driving in the far left of 3 lanes, and a car turned right onto the road I was on, going the same direction as me. If he had been content driving in either of the first 2 lanes until he picked up some speed all would have been well. But, he started to straighten out in the second lane and suddenly merged into my lane directly in front of me at about 15 miles per hour. Since I was driving about 50 miles per hour (the posted speed limit) I didn't have time to stop and smashed into the back of his car. It was raining and darkish as a result, and the other driver was 81 years old. I don't htink he ever saw me. Anyway. the other driver was issued a citation for "improper lane change" and held responsible for the accident. Consequently, his insurance is paying for everything. While my car is in the shop, I have been provided with a rental car. I ended up with a 2007 Ford Taurus - boy is it nice! I wish I could keep it.

My sister Amy from Chicago will be down here this coming week. She will actually be in Tampa for a work conference, but she will stay with me. I haven't seen her since February, and she hasn't seen us or Trevor since then either.

If you don't already know, I work as an ophthalmic technician in a multiple physician ophthalmologist's office. The job does not require a specific degree or formal education as long as one has sufficient training and hands on experience. It is possible to take a written test and obtain an official certification, however, which is beneficial to have (read: more$$). I am scheduled to take my test on October 7. I feel ready, and the doctors I work for think I'm ready, but I am a little nervous about it. Wish me luck!!!

BTW, check out this trailer, and buy the book. Great page turner, and supporting a good cause. See my previous post for a full explanation.

A Good Cause

A friend whom I consider to be a very talented writer, has asked me to advertize her book here on my blog. She is hoping this will help her sell more copies. You see, the more she sells, the more money she makes in royalties. Sounds pretty typical, right?

But the whole point here is that she doesn't keep these royalties. Every penny is donated to the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children). What a great cause to support!

So check out this cool trailer for an excellent book.






This book, and everything of hers I've ever read, is worth getting, even if you don't care about giving to charity. That's just an awesome fringe benefit!


-

Hurricane Warning

How cute and innocent he looks. HA!

As I have mentioned before, we have an area of our apartment childproofed and blocked off for Trevor to play in. This includes his room, the hallway and a portion of the living room.

Yesterday morning, Trevor woke me up fussing at about 8:00 AM, so I got up, changed him and gave him a sippy cup of milk. Being Saturday, and I wanted to sleep in, I put Trevor is his area and went back to bed.

A couple hours later, husband got up to pee, came back a few minutes later and announced, "Trevor got out." I'm thinking, "Out? Out where? Outside!? Huh?" Hubby says, "He was in the living room. It's a mess." I ask, "Where is he now". "Back in his area," then hubby gets back in bed and goes back to sleep.

Of course, now I can't get back to sleep, wondering how Trevor got out, what kind of havoc he wreaked, and whether or not he will be able to do it again. So, of course, I got up. I ventured into the living room and was met with this:

That took a while to clean up. We have now reinforced the "fence" that keeps Trevor in his area. So far so good, but I'm sure that sooner or later, when he gets a little bigger and smarter, we will be back at square one again.

----

What the Hell...?

I don't have any idea if this is true or not, but I sure did find it funny. Got it on email.

Essay on Hell

The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington> chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.

Here is the professor's "Bonus Question": Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)? Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:

First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different Religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.

With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities: 1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over. So which is it?

If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, "it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you", and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number 2 must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct...leaving only heaven . . thereby proving the existence of a divine being . . . which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting "Oh my God."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A"
_____________________________________

Other News:

Trevor is very excited that Grammy and Grandpa are coming to visit (probably with presents!) in two weeks.

Hurricane Ernesto did not hit Tampa!!! (whew)

My hand surgery (see post titled "Irony?") was successful. i am pretty much healed up and the scar seems to be fading some already.

I have a great book to read and review this weekend. I know it is great because it was written by M. E. Ellis.

Holiday weekend coming up - the beach is calling. Just another day in paradise!

We're back!

Some interesting points were made in comments on the last post. It's not so much whether I endorse marijuana smoking or not, but the fact of it's being illegal while other as bad or worse things are legal, is one of the many inconsistencies of our government.

I kind of feel the same way about allowing "adults" of 18 years of age vote, smoke cigarettes and go to war, but they can't have a beer until they're 21.

As far as gays marrying, or having the legal rights allowed a husband and wife joined by a civil union, why not? And why do so many people spend so much time worrying about it? Who's getting hurt?

"Traditional" marriages can be absolutely wrong and horrible, involving abuse, adultery, etc, and most end in divorce anyway. Go worry about that.

Anyway, enough about that stuff. We just got back from a long weekend in Key Largo. Had a great time but still recovering. We camped at Pennekamp State Park, ate at our favorite restaurant, caught up with all our friends, drank too much beer, you know, all that fun stuff!

Hopefully I will get back to posting somewhat regularly (not to mention keeping up with all of YOUR blogs!) by next week after I have finished doing laundry, unpacking and cleaning the motor home. Again, all that fun stuff (HAHA).

Debate?

Some interesting topics came up at work today, in conversations with doctors, patients and co-workers. One such topic (brought up by a patient) was the legalization of marijuana. Involved in the conversation were the patient, her daughter, the doctor and myself. Everyone seemed to feel pretty much the same way: that pot is more or less harmless, when compared to other drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Also mentioned was that if it were legalized, it could be taxed and regulated. So you'd think the government would be all for legalization.

Same subject arose later amongst co-workers. The same doctor, myself and two other employees were talking. Everybody had more or less the same feelings described earlier. The doctor even pointed out that, as far as total effect on overall body health, alcohol and tobacco/nicotine are far worse than marijuana. Also agreed upon was that the same rules should apply to smokers as to drinkers. Such as acceptable (legal) levels and DUI penalties, etc. so what's the big deal that makes it different?

The other topic of note was gay marriage, and the separation of church and state. If the two (church and state) are completely separate entities, then why are gays forbidden to legally marry on grounds of it being morally (religiously) wrong? One person even went so far to say that marriages should not be performed in churches - that "marriage" is a legal arrangement and therefore should be handled by legal officials. Here I disagree. People should be able to get married wherever the hell they want to get married. You have to go to the courthouse and do the paperwork before you can get married, in a church or otherwise. Legally married, that is. So whose business is it where they perform the ceremony? Or how old they are (as long as they are legal adults)? Or whether they are gay or straight? If the church (any church) chooses not to recognize a gay marriage, then so be it. But why does that dictate the government's stand on the issue?

Opinions, anyone?


-

Friday Funny

I got this on email today:


An award should go to the American Airlines gate attendant in Dallas some months ago for being customer focused, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo.

A crowded American flight was cancelled after the plane had been withdrawn from service. A single attendant was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travelers.

Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, "I have to be on this flight and it has to be NOW". The attendant replied, "I'm sorry sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these people first, and I'm sure we'll be able to work something out".

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear,"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?"

Without hesitating, the attendant smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: "May I have your attention please, may I have your attention please?" she began. Her voice could be heard clearly throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14".

With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, the man glared at the American attendant, gritted his teeth and said, "F...k You!"

Without flinching, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to get in line for that too."

Have a great day!

Been There, Done That

Found this on Valkyrie's blog. Thought it was kind of interesting - makes you think about the things you have and haven't done in your life.

Highlight the ones you’ve done…

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music.
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions.
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone’s life

-->

The Adventures of Toilet Boy and Other Stories

When I got off work, I phoned my husband on the cell phone, as is my usual habit. He did not seem to be in the best of moods, but I did not ask. Finally, he sighed and said, "Well, I might as well tell you now..."

Needless to say, that got my guard up BIG TIME. I sweetly asked, "Tell me what, honey?"

Background: we have a hallway and part of our living room completely "Trevor Proofed" and fenced off, and allow him to run around in this area with minimal (if any) supervision. Down the hallway are 3 doors (2 bedrooms and a bathroom) which are always closed to deny access to Trevor. When I go to work in the morning, I put Trevor in this area to play until Johnny gets up. Well, Johnny got up right after I left for work, needing to pee. He did so, didn't flush knowing he would use it again for #2 within the next hour or two, and went back to bed.

An hour and a half later, he woke up and headed for the bathroom. Well, there's Trevor in a pool of yellow water, completely soaked and quite happy with himself. He had opened the cabinets and played with the roach motels (thank God nothing too dangerous under there); unrolled, torn up and eaten some of a roll of toilet paper; strewn the contents of the watsebasket all over the floor and splahsed water (and piss) all over everything. Johnny still doesn't see the humor in this. I, however see lots and lots and lots.

Now here's one I will probably laugh about tomorrow. Or the next day. Anyway, the ophthalmologist's office I work for typically offers the latest procedures and treatment options available. The newest drug out for macular degeneration is an injectable medication called Lucentis. It comes in a small glass vial and consists of about .2 cc's of clear liquid. (that's point two cc's). The cost? $1950.00. Per dose.

I am travelling to one of our out of town offices tomorrow, and was entrusted with 3 vials of Lucentis to transport there. I got home, brought the Lucentis inside, as it needs to be refrigerated, and had the bright idea to show it to Johnny. I pulled out this little tiny glass vial and hold it in front of him. "See this? Guess how much this costs?" Johnny was reaching for his glasses as I stood there with the glass vial in one hand and the box it came from in the other. As I started to hand it to Johnny it slipped through my fingers and fell.

I said, "OH SHIT! That's $2000!!" and hit the floor searching for it. It was nowhere. I pulled all the cushions off the couch, we lifted up the couch and looked underneath it, I dug through the trash can that was nearby. I searched my pockets, the coffee table, the end table and the entire floor of the living room. I got a flashlight and searched again. Nowhere. I was shaking, cursing and almost in tears by this point. I kept saying, "It can't have just vanished! It HAS to be here somewhere!"

I saw the other 2 boxes of Lucentis waiting to be put in the fridge, and the one open box next to them. I figured I'd better take care of what was still accounted for, and then search again. So I picked up the open box, looked inside and saw a vial of Lucentis. I looked in the other two, and guess what? You got it - vials of Lucentis. That little fucker had somehow fallen directly into the box I held in my other hand, even though Johnny and I would both swear that it shouldn't have, based on where I (thought I) was holding the vial and the box in relation to one another. I had been sooooo dreading reporting to work tomorrow that I had lost a vial of Lucentis because it disappeared into thin air before my very eyes.

Like I said, it will be hilarious tomorrow.

-

Recovery

Some of you may remember my post from July 8 titled "Irony". If not, go read it so this makes more sense!

I had the surgery on Friday, and it was successful as far as I can tell. I don't remember much even after I came to from the anesthesia. Hubby brought me home and I went straight to bed. I haven't done much this weekend besides sleep. My hand is bandaged and I have been instructed not to remove the bandage until I return to see the doctor. This is frustrating because I want to see what it looks like! It is pretty sore, but they gave me some killer pain meds. Problem is, I don't dare take them when I go back to work tomorrow, because they make me goofy.

The kitty (Charlie) is doing well. He is growing like crazy and his wounds are healing beautifully. He and Trevor seem to get along great.

Hubby auditions at Busch Gardens on Wednesday! Keep your fingers crossed for us. We are not going to be too disappointed if he does not get this job - they are auditioning dozens of bands/performers. It is just exciting that he got the proverbial foot in the door there.

I am missing the beach this weekend! I can't do anything because of my hand. Oh, well, we will go next weekend. Just another day in paradise!!!

Have a great week, everybody.

-

Stop Me if You've Heard This...

Not feeling too creative today - long day at work. Thought I'd just post up some of the jokes I have received via email.
________________________

It Started

Jake came home from work, sat down in his favorite chair, turned on the TV, and said to his wife, Sarah, "Quick, bring me a beer before it starts."

Sarah looked a little puzzled, but brought him a beer.

When Jake finished it, he said, "Quick, bring me another beer. It's gonna start."

This time, Sarah looked a little angry, but brought him a beer.

When it was gone, Jake said, "Quick, another beer before it starts."

That's it!" Sarah blows her top, "You bastard! You waltz in here, flop your fat ass down, don't even say hello to me and then expect me to run around like your slave. Don't you realize that I cook and clean and wash and iron all day long?"

Jake sighed. "Oh shit, it started."

________________________


Three Italian nuns die and go to heaven.

At the Pearly Gates, they are met by St. Peter. He says, "Sisters, you all led such exemplary lives that the Lord is granting you six months to go back to earth and be anyone you wish to be.

The first nun says, "I want to be Sophia Loren;" and *poof* she's gone.

The second says, "I want to be Madonna and *poof* she's gone. The third says, "I want to be Sah Arapipeline."

St. Peter looks perplexed. "Who?" He asks?

"Sah Arapipeline;" replies the nun.

St. Peter shakes his head and says, "I'm sorry, but that name just doesn't ring a bell."

The nun then takes a newspaper out of her habit and hands it to St. Peter. St.

Peter reads the paper and starts laughing. He hands it back to her and says,

"No sister, the paper says it was the 'Sahara Pipeline' that was laid by 1,400 men in 6 months."

________________________

The mother of a 17-year-old girl was concerned that her daughter was having sex. Worried the girl might become pregnant and adversely impact the family's status, she consulted the family doctor. The doctor told her that teenagers today were very willful and any attempt to stop the girl would probably result in rebellion. He then told her to arrange for her daughter to be put on birth control and until then, talk to her and give her a box of condoms. Later that evening, as her daughter was preparing for a date, the woman told her about the situation and handed her a box of condoms. The girl burst out laughing and reached over to hug her mother saying: "Oh Mom! You don't have to worry about that! I'm dating Susan!"

TGIF

As previously mentioned, the boss has been out on vacation for 3 weeks. He was, however, back this wek and will be here next week. Then he is gone again for 3 more weeks. YAY!!! Don't get me started on my boss or we will be here all day.

Trevor (my 15 month old) is just now cutting his 11th tooth. It is his 1st molar on the lower right. He just finished screaming about 2 upper molars that grew in, but we only got about a day and a half of peace and now it's started all over again.

We came up with a name for the kitty. Thanks to both of you who wrote in with suggestions! We decided on a different name altogether - Charlie. Johnny suggested the name, but Mom and Dad will probably remember what book from my childhood I immediately thought of. Trevor has that book now, actually. Interesting chain of events.

It's been an interesting week, with lots of ups and downs. Would be a boring blog post though, so I'll just skip it. let's just say everything worked out OK in the end.

Happy Weekend!!!


-

Kitty Litter and Stuff

Kitty Update!!! Hubby took the cat to the vet today while I was at work. Turns out the marks on his back leg were bite wounds (probably a dog), not some creepy skin disease. We are now giving him antibiotics for the next 2 weeks. He has ear mites and worms, and has been treated for both.

He now knows where his food, water and litter box are situated.

Trevor absolutely adores him, except is a little too rough right now so not much handling.

The kitty seems to be adapting well to his new home, and will soon be vaccinated and neutered.

All we are missing at this point is a name. Nothing has really come to us yet. Any suggestions?

They Say There's One Born Every Minute

Well, I am a big one. Sucker that is. You see, there's this kitten. A really cute, pitiful little kitten. It has been on our back patio for the last 3 days or so, crying miserably. It has a flea collar on, so I thought it would go home. No such luck, and nobody seems to be missing a kitten. The problem is, I looked at it more closely today and noticed some awful looking skin lesions (or something) down one of its back legs. I can't tell if it is disease or injury, but I washed and sanitized thoroughly after touching the cat. It is a very tame, otherwise healthy appearing kitty, very friendly and obviously has been a pet. And the flea collar. Trevor has been watching it through the sliding glass door and is just fascinated by it. If the kitty is still there tomorrow, we are taking it to the vet.

"sucker"

I HEARD that!


_

Shit

I didn't sleep that great last night, so when I got home from work a little early, I decided to take a nap. I had been asleep maybe 45 minutes, when hubby comes into the room, "Honey, I need some help with Trevor." I sort of come to, roll over and say, "huh?" He says, "Well, I was on the computer and Trevor made a mess in his pen."

We have a foldable "fence" consisting of 6 sections, each 3 feet wide. When opened up, it creates an 18 square foot enclosure in which Trevor can play. When we don't want to watch him every second, like when cooking, or on computer or whatever, we just stick him in there in the middle of the living room with a few toys and he can't get into any trouble, right?

Anyway, I'm thinking, "what kind of mess are we talking about?" I manage to grunt, "huh?" again, as I try to clear the cobwebs. Hubby says, "Well, he, uh, took off his diaper and threw it out of his pen..."

"Yeeeeeesss...?"

"Well, he's got shit all over him, and, uh..." That was enough for me. I was up. The kid had removed his poopy diaper, spread the poo all over himself and his pen, and then thrown the diaper across the living room. He had it on the bottoms of his feet, meaning it was also smeared into the carpet inside his pen. He had it up both legs, on his butt and his belly. Of course his hands were covered in it, and he had got it all over his face and in his hair. He was laughing.

Trevor went straight into the tub, while Mommy went on her hands and knees scrubbing shit out of the living room carpet. It took a while, but everything is clean now. And a couple beers really help in seeing the humor of some situations.

This is a true story.

No shit!

Random Bits of Information

Weather here has been crappy (except for Sunday). It is supposed to remain so for the rest of the week, but there is hope for Saturday!

The "big boss" where I work has been out of town for the last two weeks, and this week. It has been very pleasant , everybody relaxed, nobody looking over their shoulder all the time. He will be back Monday. I sure hope he had a good time on vacation, because this may affect how big of a jerk he is.

I hope my boss does not read this.

My child has recently discovered his potential for independence. He is 15 months old, and if he can do it, he doesn't want your help! In fact if you try to steady him, or put a bite of food in his mouth, or anything, he gets his pissed off look on his face and pushes your hand away until you leave him alone. It' really funny.

Hubby has an audition to play music at Busch Gardens. Don't want to say more in case I jinx it!

We are planning a trip to Key Largo next month to visit friends. Isn't it amazing how much old places have changed each each time we visit them? The Keys have definitely changed a lot since we lived there, but our friends are the same!

Hope you all have a wonderful week!!!

A Day at the Beach

Not much to report. Spent the day on the beach with the family. Upper 80's, partly cloudy, light breeze, gulf of Mexico temp 84 degrees. Very pleasant and relaxing.

BTW, read a very nice short story this weekend , by Zinnia Hope. She writes erotic fiction (very well, too). Check out her blog!

Got to prepare for the coming work week. Sigh.

Later!

Irony?

As I'm sure many of you can understand, finances are a little tight right now. So, I try to do whatever I can to cut corners and save a little here and a little there. One thing I have been saving money on is haircuts. I have decided to let my own hair grow out (an excuse not to get frequent haircuts) and I cut my husband's hair myself at home. He, being a musician, wears his hair about shoulder length with layers, so it has to be cut with scissors, not clippers. A couple months ago I am cutting his hair in the kitchen, when I managed to cut myself. I was holding the hair with my left hand and cutting with the right, and I managed to clip one of my knuckles. I actually cut a large flap of skin directly over the knuckle of my F-you finger on my left hand. Not pretty. I went to work the next day and one of the doctors I work with put some stitches in it for me and told me to immobilize my hand so I wouldn't pull it open again. Well, I didn't take the situation seriously enough, and consequently re-opened the cut so many times that it didn't heal properly. Now it is healed over, but I have a large, unsightly lump of scar tissue over that knuckle, which will have to be surgically removed. I have already spent well over $500 on doctor visits and my insurance deductible, and there will be more bills to come after the surgery is done. I could have paid for at least 35 haircuts by now and not have an ugly painful lump on the back of my hand. Not to mention time off work to have surgery and all the aggravation. From here on out, Supercuts here we come!

Another blonde moment

Well, I started this post about 40 minutes ago, when I was sitting here waiting for AAA. Oh yeah, I had about a paragraph written. What happened to it? I have no fucking idea! I was in the middle of typing when my lovely, wonderful father IM'ed me. In responding, I somehow lost everything I had written to that point. What could I have possibly done to cause this? Again, I have NO.... you get it. What? Oh, AAA. Yeah I was waiting for them to come get my keys out of my locked car. Yeah I know everybody's done it and all that, but it's my second time in 2 months. The first time I was at work and didnt realize my mistake until time to go home. After all my co-workers tried (and failed) to break into my car, they all drove home as I sat waiting for AAA (sound familiar?). I believe our annual cost for AAA will have paid for itself after just 1 more locksmith call!

Happy Fourth!

To everyone on this side of the pond, happy July 4th! To everyone on the other side, well, we're cool now, right?

Anyway, this is for me the last day of a 4 day weekend - back to work tomorrow.

Hubby had a music gig last night, which went fairly well. It was raining cats and dogs when we arrived (not great for an outdoor gig) but fortunately the stage is covered and it turned out to be a gorgeous night in the end. Check out his website: http://mysite.verizon.net/jconch.

I hope to get some pictures up on here soon, it's just that I don't know how. Yes, I tried reading the directions, but, well...I am not the most computer literate person to ever walk the earth, so I am going to have to resort to calling Dad for help. My dad has way more high-tech, electronics savvy than I do, which I guess is unusual in this day and age. I remember when hubby and I were staying at my parents' place for a short time. One evening, my parents had gone out, and we decided to go out and rent a video. All we had at home was a VCR, but Mom and Dad had a DVD player! So we rented a DVD. About 15 minutes later, we returned to the video store, asking if we could exchange the DVD for a regular VHS video tape. We explained that we were staying at my parents house, and the clerk who must have been all of 17, said "Oh right. They don't have a DVD player do they?" Stupid me says "Oh, yes, they have one, we just can't figure out how to work it." The entire teenage staff, and half of the customers, laughed their asses off at us. Duh.

Well, hello!

To be quite honest, I created this blog for the primary purpose of having a blogger account so I can comment on other people's blogs. I may or may not post on a regular basis. Many of you know me as a regular reader of your own blogs (you know who you are). I guess if I have something that I feel an overwhelming need to share, I will post it here.

Later dudes and dudettes!