debsiobhan

05:31 pm: Slow Progress

Things around the house are progressing at a snails pace.  We got powerwashed (yeah!).  The deck looks great but has to have 3 dry days before it can be sealed - of course it's rained here daily.  We've gotten painting and step fixing estimates.  We sent them checks.  Now we wait to get on the schedule.  The husband's decluttering continues.  A couple small fixes are scheduled.  The rest is waiting on the painting.  That really needs to be done first.  

I've got a list of little things a mile long to clean, fix or stage.  I really need to step up and start my part of the decluttering too.  I just need the interest and energy.

Tags: life

07:40 pm: Scientifically Proven!
I have a heart - so there!  I know because I not only heard it today, I saw it.  Another in the long line of checks that seem to have been piling up since I passed 40.  In this case the regular doc heard a heart murmur.  As with everything this required a visit to a specialist.  In this case I'm happy to report that not only am I not going to keel over from this tomorrow, my heart was actually not in too bad a shape.  The murmur is a benign aortal flow murmur which means a not bad for me swishing sound in the aortal valve.  Of course the downside is the heart walls are a bit thick but that's fixable.  Also as is typical the fix is me losing weight.  Sigh.

But anyway that's it - it is proven that I have a heart!  Now if I only had a brain.

Tags: life

07:26 am: Changing
When in the world did the 11 year old switch from unrelenting channel loyalty (Cartoon Network and nothing else) to channel surfing.  I fear unless I stop this I may never see an entire episode of anything again.

Tags: life

08:54 am: Preferences

I've never really thought of myself as an anime kind of person.  But now the boy is hung up on watching a tv channel which is essentially all anime all the time.  There's some of them I really hate (Hare & Guu - I call it the screaming show) but I've found there's a couple I really like.  One called Shingu and another called Spiral are particularly good.  I've seen an entire season of each now and am hoping for a new season.  Unfortunately it's summer re-run time.

Tags: life

06:20 pm: Tin Grin
Because we like to hit all the milestones and high stress activities at the same time, on Tuesday the boy got braces.  There is some pain, much angst and assorted sturm und drang.  I can not help but wonder if some of the mouth drama is actually related to the other things going on around here. 

There is much decluttering, workmen coming through for estimates and a good bit of scurrying.  Undoubtedly stressful. 

Tags: life

11:08 am: Home Again, Home Again

Every trip I make out to Vegas is totally different.  This one definitely pegged the different meter because it was a family trip.  That's not to say I didn't gamble a bit, but by and large the time was spent hanging with the family and doing family things.

There was a lovely, talented graduate.  She graduated with honors and walked the stage with her 500 classmates.

There was family drama because said graduate is our families version of Cinderella.  She has divorced parents both of whom have remarried.  She lived with her dad and stepmom because she wanted to go to that high school.  Apparently stepmom was a bit bent about that.  Stepmom actually cut the kids cellphone off while we were visiting because she didn't jump to some command phoned to her while she was out touristing with her grandmother, aunt and cousin.  There was much angst which made for begging phone calls to her father to have the service resumed which led to one very, very angry aunt (like the hulk, baby, you wouldn't like her when she's angry).  Apparently her mother washes her hands of the whole thing because... well I'm not sure why there's an odd dynamic there.  I arrived in the middle of all that.

On the other hand we basked at the pool for a day.  We watched the graduating, we had a nice dinner out.  And best of all we showered the girl with gifts.  Her grandmother bought her a bit of a summer wardrobe before I arrived.  Then after the graduating we took her out and I bought her a computer for college.  It was the best thing ever.  First I've admitted here before that I like to give things.  Maybe I'm a bit of an attention hog, but I really, really like it.  This was the best.  First she wanted a Mac but I think she was afraid to say so because there are cheaper machines out there.  She did that really calculated casual mention that her friend the computer geek really liked his Mac.  She nearly fell over when I said sounds great, where's the Apple store.  Second awesome thing - on the drive over she offered a cd for the car.  They didn't put it in due to lots of talking and directions and such.  I offered her my ipod but allowed as how she might not like the music selection.  She sighed and said she was hoping maybe she could save up for an ipod because her friends made fun of her with her walkman.  Cue best thing ever - we get to the store and they are having a special a free ipod with proof of college acceptance with the purchase of a Macbook.  HA!  I managed to get the girl both a computer and an ipod!  I love this shit!  She did not stop smiling.  Best.  Thing.  Ever!

The rest of the trip was drama, drama, drama!  Eldest sissy skipped the party due to extreme irritation with the graduate's paternal family, which gave me an out to skip as well.  Sadly sissy totally obsessed on boarding passes and the crap ass computer kiosks at the hotel that took money but did not work properly.  It all worked out.  The front desk took pity on me for the computer that took my bucks and printed my pass.  The others we did on an actual working machine (you just had to know where to look).  Other drama was a call to me from my child's school to say he was locked out and a neighbor had called them and asked them to call us.  Seems he didn't need the backpack and neither he nor his dad realized doh that's where the house key is.  Not so good for me, everyone else survived it fine.  Final drama was the restaurant that managed to charge my neice's account for both the single meal she meant to charge and the 8 person meal we payed cash for.  Hope that got resolved!

That doesn't include the fun of flying - delays and thunderstorms going out, delays galore coming back.  I got in Saturday around 3am and had to get up and get moving on time due to an outing with Will's friends for the end of school.  That was a nice afternoon at the movies followed by dinner with kids and moms.  Sadly I capped it by tripping on something in the garage and breaking my toe.  So now I'm limping through my weekend chores, which I guess I should get back to.

Tags: life

07:34 pm: Passages
I'm heading out of town for a couple days.  I will be attending my grand-nieces high school graduation.  
Now, even though some of my siblings are significantly older than I am it still seems hard to believe that my niece's child is graduating high school.  Two of my sisters and another niece are representing the east coast contingent.

It should be a good time.  Especially since the aformentioned graduates lives outside of Las Vegas.  Hanging with my sibs and going to Sin City - what's not to like!

Tags: life

06:04 pm: A House Guest



I've had houseguest this weekend. He was very helpful.

Tags: life

01:24 pm: Wonderful

Apparently my name and phone number are being used to sign up for lots of free offers on the internet.
So far today I've been called for diabetic testing equipment and a free security system.

They call my home and ask for me by name.  Wonder who I pissed off.
Fabulous.

Tags: life

02:35 pm: Managed to Miss an Entire Week
So it appears I have an entire week to catch up on.  Let's see, what happened.

Monday I was beat.  No sleep at all on Sunday night.  I was dragging all day.  I came home, made dinner and hit the bed exceptionally early.

Tuesday after work I zipped over to the best babe's place and we went to Annapolis for a show.  We saw The English Beat.  It was a fabulous show we danced through the entire second half of the show.  The whole place was dancing which is pretty much unheard of for the venue.

Wednesday I was (obviously) beat again from another late night.  Not a lot of oomph for much more than the necessary.

Thursday after work was the boy's band concert.  Nothing like a middle school concert to make me hate people.  The bands were good, but the night was really long.  We went out for ice cream afterward and we were all in bed late again.

Last night was devoted to chores.  I had farm produce to pick up, groceries to get and put away.  Little things to catch up on.

Today the morning was at the movies with friends followed by lunch.  I've got a small break which will be followed by a going away party for my nephew and his family.

That's all of that.  Amazing how glorious a 3 day weekend seems when one no longer gets most of them.

Tags: life

10:38 am: Loose Ends
 I guess I should finish the saga of the boy's camp time.  First off it was sunny for 3 days straight despite the weather predictions to the contrary.  He managed to shove everything back into his suitcase for the return trip.  He didn't forget or lose anything.  Most important of all he had a great time.  He didn't seem any worse for the wear despite burning his fingers at the outdoor cooking class.  He had a bit of sunburn despite having taken sunscreen with him.

His review of the event was that he loved that they had hashbrowns at breakfast.  He likes my cooking better.  His favorite activities were canoeing and fishing.  He got to hold 2 of the 3 fish he caught.  He was able to man the paddles well enough to get his canoe back in despite his partner freaking out on the lake.  He just came back in, got a new partner and went back out.  The swimming pool was really cold (not too suprising).  

Apparently the day camps I've sent him to over the years had prepared him for nearly all of the activities. Not too many novel activities, but I think that really allowed him to relax and have a good time.  After he got back he was really quite cuddly.  He missed me.

Tags: life

04:58 pm: Sunnier
It is much, much easier to feel good about the boy's trip while the day is warm and the sun is shining.  Really I've been at that particular camp in the rain ( at Kingdom Crusades) and it's pretty grim. 

So I'm pretty much free until Thursday night, except for like work and stuff.  Of course my evening tomorrow got eaten immediately in a strange twist of fate.  I was hoping for dinner and a movie but the only part I'll be getting is the move.  Which is to say my nephew and his family are moving and they called looking for box loading help tomorrow.  Not what I planned, but what the heck.

Tags: life

08:50 pm: Be Prepared
My son is not a boy scout.  The last time my son went camping he was under the age of two.  I don't think he remembers it.

Tomorrow in their infinite wisdom the 6th grade of his suburban school is heading upstate to go camping.  Not roughing it by any stretch, there are cabins and lights and showers.  Still it is rustic.  And also involves tramping around outside in the weather - which today was cold and rainy.   For 3 days.  Oh and this will be the longest time he's been away from both of us at once.  He overnighted once before, but that was less than 24 hours.  Then again hubs is volunteering at the camp Wednesday so it won't be completely away.

We just finished packing.  Their packing list was not too bad.  The boy erred on the more prepared side of the spectrum.  In fact, after we got it together, the sum total of the goods did not fit in our originally selected pilots case.  We went with something slightly larger but lacking wheels.  He also has to carry a sleeping bag.  I bought one that has it's own carry case.  At this point we still have jackets and pillows to pack.  I fear we can not fit 2 jackets and 2 pillows.  This is causing much angst.  He needs the rain jacket, he wants the sweatshirt.  He's offered to wear both.  We have managed to stuff the big pillow into the bag but there's a little one too.  I think it is playing the roll of substitute blankie - because middle school boys are not cool with blankies but pillows are just pillows.  I'm just not sure a) if we can shove it in somewhere and b) if he'll be able to reassemble the whole mess to get it home again.  

Something will undoubtedly be left behind.  Probably both here and there.  Well, none of it's particularly expensive.

Tags: life

07:33 pm: Where Did We Leave Off?
I have no idea.  Not that I have any exciting or fabulous news to impart.  I mean there have certainly been things happening dinner guests, dinner out, errands and such but nothing big.  

Next week the boy has his big 6th grade field trip.  They go to a camp and do outdoor things.  Things I did as a girlscout.  Things he's never done because the husband really isn't into camping.  Suprisingly he's is most excited that they will do archery.  I had no idea he had any interest in archery.

Today he went out with his father to pick up a dvd of anime from a series recommended to him by Majesty.  There are no quotes there because apparently that is what her name is.  I asked him if Majesty was his anime connection and he giggled fiercely and asked what I meant.  As near as I can tell Majesty is a 6th grade anime/gamer geek's dream girl.

Tags: life

08:53 pm: so...
I took in flowers for the adopt-a-teacher.  I'll try and get her a restaurant gift card this week too.  It is teacher appreciation week, after all.  I have other suggestions too so as long as I don't spaz I should be able to take care of the June offering as well.  It's not like I've totally ignoring her.  I'm pretty sure I've only missed 2 months and really she got an excellent Christmas time gift (Macy's giftcard) and January gift (Office Depot for supply replenishment) and March was a real nice bag of snackies (things from her profile page).

Work was pleasantly busy today.  Other than having to make additional changes to every single thing I worked on it was good.  And really that wasn't even so bad.  I had a couple of tasks that challenged me and currently only one that is winning the battle.

So yeah, routine is not so terrible.  Although the non-routine parts of the day were pretty darn excellent.

Tags: life

07:48 pm: The Thing about Routine...
Is that it's fairly boring.  I could talk about work, but I can't imagine anyone would be interested in my efforts to get the stupid report writer to let me create the parameter query the way I want it to.  I could talk about home, but  really how exciting are bills and laundry and the ceramic tile floor that is always dirty?  If I talk about the boy's school then I'd have to confess how hard I'm finding it to come up with gifts for the adopt a teacher.  It's teacher appreciation week so I have flowers to take in tomorrow but really I'm gonna need something else - especially since I completely spaced last month and gave her nothing.  Sigh.  I used to be a fairly organized individual, but lately not so much.  Unfortunately I think I'm maxed out on something or maybe everything.  And telling myself I really need to get it together is about as effective as telling the grass to stop growing.   

Tags: life

07:19 pm: Napping away the afternoon.
 I'm sure there were things I should have been doing.  I could have gone for a walk or worked in the garden - the day was lovely after all.
Instead I took a nap.  Ahhh.  There are few more decadent pleasures than sleeping away a pleasant afternoon while the world is busy with their industry.

Tags: life

08:50 pm: Insufficient Attention to Detail
The day started damp and chilly in the morning.   I was peeved that I'd forgotten my jacket.  I was so chilled.  
Around 11 the sun started to break through and it felt good.  I was actually warming up.  By 1:30 I was headed home.  In that time it never occured to me that I was toasting.  I didn't even notice the burn until dinner time.  The bitch of it is that I had sunscreen with me, I just didn't think I was getting over exposed.

Tags: life

04:28 pm: The Joys of Capitalism
I had a space at a community yard sale today.  I'd been planning on it and kept an eye out for the information on the date and cost.  I had planned to do a complete sweep of the house for unused items.  As it was I only did a semi-complete sweep but I had plenty of goods.  As part of this sweep I asked the boy to assemble any items he was done with that he'd like sold.  He did it while I was out and I came home to a table mostly covered in little junky toys and all his little kid books.  After some discussion (he has a lot of toys he's outgrown) it came out that he wasn't ready to part with anything else right now.  That's fine it's his stuff after all and besides I ended up with 6 boxes of books to sell.  

I priced them cheaply and they sold like hotcakes.  A suprising number of junky little toys sold as well.  We ended up selling a couple hundred dollars worth  combined and at the end I came home and went through the money with him.  He pocketed over $100.  He was suddenly interested in when the next yard sale was.  I think he may be more ready to part with things now that he remembers the payoff.  A trip to the store was instantly required.  The game he'd been diligently saving for was acquired immediately.  I talked him out of an additional impulse purchase by imposing a cooling off period.  Essentially promising to bring him back to the store if he still wanted it tomorrow.

He's playing, I'm resting, life's good.

Tags: life

08:42 pm: Undercurrents
Work today was very tense.  The meeting with the CEO was very useless.  On one hand I totally see why he's doing what he's doing, he'd like to see his family's company endure.  On the other hand it's a tad silly to sit in a meeting with people whose pay you've just cut and tell them that you know that their skills are transferable but you hope they'll stay anyway.  There were many grim faces.

Strangely enough mine was not one of them.  A very dear friend gave me good reason to smile.  And smile I did, through most the day. 

Tags: life