Deer in Headlights

Not all superheroes wear capes...

2010-08-30T20:45:00.000-07:00

Last Father’s Day I was looking for just the right card when I found one I thought was perfect. It simply said “not all superheroes wear capes.” That one line absolutely sums up my sentiment about my dad. He has been my hero every day of my life!

From the magic words than would erase my childhood bumps & bruises to the more serious task of seeing me through some very difficult times as an adult, he has always been there & is the one person I have always believed could make just about anything okay. Superpowers? Maybe not, but no one will ever convince me otherwise!

It could be said that raising me definitely provided my parents with a challenge. I can only guess how frustrating it was for Dad to attempt to call home for hours & find the line perpetually busy. I was only allowed to talk for ten minutes, but I talked for ten minutes to at least ten people a night. Far be it for me to end a conversation with a boy I liked just because my dad might be trying to call! I pushed the envelope with clothes, hairstyles, money & curfews as well. Only when I became a parent myself did I fully understand how I must have driven mine crazy! But through it all, the one thing I could always count on was my parents’ unconditional love.

My dad’s advice was sound, I didn't always follow it. I can still hear him telling me “if you don’t need boots on a day like this, you might as well not own any” as I was leaving for school. Fashionista that I was, I refused to substitute the ugly snow boots for the cute shoes. “There’s not much future in dancing, you may want to open a book.” Maybe I did study a little more, but I would not give up my dance classes, going to dances or practicing my dance moves in front of a mirror at home. Instead, I ditched the more practical activity of piano lessons much to my parents' chagrin. “If you’re too sick to go to church, you’re too sick to leave the house.” Well, both of my parents said this & meant it so I only played hooky once…lesson learned!

There were times I thought I’d be in big trouble & was pleasantly surprised to discover I was in no trouble whatsoever. Once my friends & I added a blonde streak in our hair. My mother was horrified & warned me to just wait until my father got home. My siblings were salivating as they waited for the big reveal & my impending punishment. Dad came home & absolutely did not notice that night or all the nights that followed. (Or maybe he did notice & just thought it was not a battle he cared to wage with me.) When I became a licensed driver I had three wrecks within a very short period of time. A case can be made for two of these not being my fault, but the third clearly was. I inadvertenly pulled out in front of an oncoming car & had all my siblings with me. I fully expected to lose my driving priviledges for an extended period of time. Dad arrived & very calmly told me that any time no one was injured, it was just a money issue & that money issues could be fixed. I was definitely hesitant to get behind the wheel again, but Dad encouraged me to do so. I’ve thought on these events often as I dealt with my sons’ ear piercings, shaved heads & their own auto accidents. Dad always understood that some lessons are just learned by living.

Dad believed in family togetherness, especially on vacations. I am still amazed that every summer we were able to cram our family of six plus luggage into a station wagon & take off pulling the trailer that would be our home for the next couple of weeks. To say we were in close quarters both in the car & the trailer (where every possible surface turned into a bed) is a complete understatement, but it was fun & definitely an adventure!

Dad often has nicknames for people. I have always been "Dewey" to him which has been rather embarrassing when he has used that nickname in public. One he called the orthodontic office where I worked & asked for Dewey...my coworkers never let me live it down! Of course Dewey is preferable to the nicknames he had for my cousins, Anne & Pam, who were "Slimy Lizard" & "Chicken Gizzard!"

Several years ago Dad & I were sitting on my deck. I was distraught & frightened about my very uncertain future. He told me "you don't have a problem; we have a problem. Indeed he knew a burden shared would be far easier for me to manage. It was with a genuine sense of relief that I realized I was not navigating the waters alone.

Oprah would say, “10 things I know for sure.” David Letterman would create a top 10 list. Here are 10 absolutes about my Dad:

1) He loves his family & would absolutely do anything at any time to help any one of us.

2) He is a great role model for how to be a wonderful parent. With noteable exceptions...yes, Dad still laughs at the time I told Ryan he would never be allowed to read again after he had torn up his Dr. Seuss book in his crib…I have tried to follow his example with my sons.

3) He sacrificed for his country by serving in the US Navy in World War II. When we’d go to the beach I was always amazed at how Dad could float on his back in the ocean for huge periods of time & swim so strongly against the current. Years later I realized that he had been in a number of perilous situations during wartime & these were part of his survival skills.

4) He lives his faith; loves the Lord; loves his church & his church family.

5) He will fall asleep at inappropriate times & in inappropriate places. My mother used to have to nudge him awake in church & he has definitely fallen asleep while entertaining company at the house. For guests who have over-stayed, his famous line is “I’d better go to bed now. These people may want to go home.”

6) He will unfailingly get someone’s name or the name of a place wrong. We all know him so well though that we know exactly what he means. So when he asks me if I want to go to “Ipod” for breakfast, I drive straight to “IHop.”

7) He can talk his way into places no one else is allowed. Although I’ve always found this an intriguing & admirable skill, it was never more important to me than on the night Trent was born. It was determined by the doctors that there may be a problem with Trent’s heart & that an emergency C-section was necessary. I was overwhelmed with fear & worry. Dad came into see me right before surgery & assured me that he would check on Trent as soon as they brought him out & would report back to me. True to his word Dad chased the isolette down the hallway & finegled his way into the nursery where he stayed while Trent was tested. Then he came down & somehow talked his way into the authorized-personel-only surgery recovery room to let me know Trent was fine. And there was never a doubt in my mind that he would figure out a way to do it!

8)He is a great & loyal friend. Dad collects people & whether it's a handyman or the CEO of a company, he treats everyone with kindness & respect. He has given friends who disappointed him or let him down second, third & even fourth chances; however, anyone who hurts one of us falls completely off his radar screen.

9)He loves sports...especially Mountaineer sports & has passed this on to all four of his children, many of his grandchildren & even a great-grandchild. As a child Adam would crawl up into the recliner with Dad & watch sports on tv for hours. Last year little Drew crawled up into his lap & said "Jack, let's talk about football."

10)He is funny. He can tell a joke well & is great with a funny story. His antics can be inadvertently hilarious! And he has a great sense of humor! And the comments he makes in his stage whisper (that usually can be heard across the room!)...funny, but sometimes embarrassing!

No, superheroes don't always wear capes...sometimes they just take their daughter fishing or ice skating or teach her how to ski or how to plant tomatoes...or fix her cuts & scrapes...or comfort her when they can't fix her broken heart...or insist that she goes to church so that she will have a foundation of faith & a set of values...or tease her when she takes herself too seriously...or show her how to be a good parent by example...or love her even when she's pretty unlovable! In my heart my superhero will always be my dad.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Thanks for always being there for me...for teaching me the joys of love & laughter& the value of faith, family & friends...I love you!!!

Dewey

(Mis)adventures with Dad

2010-06-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today I was to take my dad to Morgantown for a dental appointment...actually, just a cleaning appointment. Because my dad can get in & out of his own car more easily & also hates to see us use our gas, he had his car out & ready. I traded places with him & pulled out onto the highway. As soon as I accelerated over 20 MPH, the car began to shake violently. I noticed that the brake light was on as well. At this point my dad tells me that this happens a lot to him & that I need to come to a complete stop, then quickly release the brake. However, this is easier said than done because we are shaking down a busy highway. I find a side street & pull in, but his trick of hitting the brake & releasing it fails to stop the shaking. I quickly decide we need to return to his house & get his other car, but it had a dead battery. I certainly didn't mind driving him in my car so we transferred everything & took off. By now I had some concerns about being late for his appointment.

We arrive at the parking lot behind the dental office in the nick of time when we discover that neither of us has any change for the meter. I encourage him to go on into the office & let me deal with the meter issue. As he is getting out of the car he shows me a lid to something & asks if I have seen his teeth (a partial) which were in a container that was now just a lid. I put the brake on & help him look around. He suggests I look in my purse since he seems to think that's where he put the container...ewwww! Fortunately (for me anyway), we found it on the floor of my car. He goes on into the office, & I cruise for a parking spot with some remaining minutes on the meter. I find one with 19 minutes & after dumping everything out of my purse come up with two dimes & a nickel to add to it. (When will I learn to carry a little money with me!)

As soon as I was seated the hygienist came out to let me know there was a problem. My dad had not taken his pre-medication. I asked her what our options were. She explained to me the pros & cons of doing it anyway. So I go back & ask Dad what he wants to do...stay or reschedule. He wants to stay so we do.

After the appointment, they need to schedule a procedure, but this has to be coordinated with an appointment he already has with an oral surgeon. When they contact the oral surgeon's office, they have no record of my dad's appointment. Yikes! We finally figured out that he has given the oral surgeon his nickname, "Jack," while the dental office is asking about "John" (his given name). The 1/2 hour in Morgantown is now well over an hour.

To top off my day I realize that my low fuel light is on the entire way home & am definitely running on fumes. As I am getting out of my car at work, I realize he has left me a parting gift...his toothbrush & toothpaste are in my console...never a dull moment with Dad!

Now What!?!

2010-04-29T10:30:00.001-07:00

Before..............................& After

Last Sunday afternoon I was faced with a dilemma. I had the time & weather to clean out my garage, but I knew I would have to have trash at the edge of my driveway until Thursday unless I scheduled a special pickup. Obviously, I opted to go ahead with the garage clean-up & let the chips fall where they may with the trash. I actually did call the trash service on Monday & failed to reach anyone who could help me. On Tuesday I tried again & was told that they would pick up some of the trash on Thursday but the rest would have to wait until the "bulky goods day" pickup on the second Thursday in May. Yikes! I have been trying to hide from the neighbors for the past few days as I fully realize this is an eyesore, but there's no way I can make myself scarce until the second week in May. Now I'm not quite sure how to proceed. I need to get this stuff out of here but in my sedan that would be lots of trips. And I'm not quite sure where to take this stuff anyway. I've had two suggestions: to call freecycle to pick the stuff up (if there's one in our area I am so onboard for this) or throw a tarp over everything until the second Thursday in May. So check out the pictures above to see just how overwhelmingly helpful my trash service was today in picking through this trash & taking a couple of bags...Geez!!!

TMI? Oversharing? Moi?

2010-04-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

One of my earliest recollections is a time when I was 3 or 4 years old & the grocery delivery man asked me how I was. I promptly told him I was just fine, but my brother had diarrhea. My mother was mortified & remprimanded me soundly. Apparently she thought the discussion of bodily functions was inappropriate. I'm sure this was one of many times she wished I had had a filter. My mom had very definite ideas about what she felt were polite terms & what she considered crude. For my mom "tinkle" was fine (if whispered), but "pee" was not. She would cringe if I told her I was "sweating" & remind me that ladies don't sweat, they "perspire." "Poop?" I bet she never said that word in her entire lifetime! Needless to say, my sharing of personal information with complete strangers probably drove my mom crazy on more than one occasion.

Yes, put me in a line at the grocery store or Disney World, & I will reveal way too much about myself & my life. So when I read a couple of facebook comments about me from my sons last night, I wanted to fire off a rebuttal; however, I realized they are probably right. While I think I'm just being friendly, I realize that some people may consider my conversations to be TMI or oversharing. Oh, to be shy!!!

Not so sure about my reputation...

2010-04-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

Preface: To say that I've been neglecting my blog is quite an understatement...Wow, my last post was in July 2009! I think twitter allowed me to express an opinion quickly & easily. Suffice it to say, I'm not really a 140 character or less kind of girl though. Now that Trent has resumed blogging & Adam has stuck with it, I realize I would kind of like to go back to it too, so here goes...

At least six months ago I dropped my iPhone & broke it. Needless to say, anyone who knew me got the details of this traumatic event along with my frustration of having AT&T provide me with "just" a phone while the problem was being resolved. I guess I do have a tendency to overshare with strangers though. Today when I was picking up a prescription at CVS the pharmacist came over to tell me he had been thinking about me. I was a little puzzled since I don't even know his name & I'm sure he doesn't know mine. As it turns out he dropped his iPhone a couple days ago & was without it for 48 hours. I don't think I'm really too flattered that he remembers that I was totally undone when this happened to me, but I was glad when he told me he was absolutely devastated too! Yes, I need a filter or a muzzle!
(Sent from my iPhone...OF COURSE)

Zumbalicious

2009-07-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

It was a busy & exhausting week. We were shorthanded at work & in the midst of a sales contest. My dad had eye surgery on Thursday so I spent most of the day at the hospital. On Friday I had to get up at 5:30 to take him to Morgantown for a follow up appointment. As it became time for the 2 hour zumba master class I signed up for on Friday night, I began to wonder "WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!" I was soooo tired! But I had pre-registered & paid so I knew I had to go. What an experience . . . I am so glad I went! Erick, the instructor, is from Miami & very compelling. He was high energy, & it was so easy to get drawn in with his enthusiasm. In addition, I realized that this must be quite an opportunity when they announced that there were people in the class from not just WV, but MD, VA, PA, OH, IL, & FL. About 20% of the class were zumba instructors which was a little intimidating. Fortunately, I was able to pick up the choreography pretty quickly because the place was packed . . . one wrong move & I could have knocked somebody down. Well, it was a really hard workout but so much fun! It is gratifying to know that I can do over 2 hours of cardio &, with the help of 3 bottles of water, survive. A little hip hop, a little kick boxing, some Latin . . . just an amazing night!

Above is a picture of Erick & one of some of the instructors he called to come up on stage including our own Brionna.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp-6dmO_njI&feature=PlayList&p=AD3CFB3E8E8EB506&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=20

Good Grief!

2009-07-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight while I was watering my plants, it happened again. I was swarmed by bees & stung multiple times on my left hand & under my right eye. Apparently there is a bees' nest under my deck floor . . . I'm afraid to look! The bee sting stick I just bought didn't touch the pain or the swelling. So I took a frozen margarita pouch from the freezer & held it with my left hand over my right eye. It helped on my hand, but my eye not so much. I tweeted about it & someone sent me a home remedy to try. . . chopped parsley mixed with vinegar & salt. Well, it probably would have worked better if I didn't have to substitute parsley flakes & wine vinegar, but all I ended up with was parsley flakes stuck to my face! Eventually, I decided that the margarita pack might be more effective taken internally so I drank it. My eye is still swollen, but I'm a lot more chill about it now.

Yeow!

2009-07-08T17:44:00.001-07:00

Two Saturdays ago I was on the deck drinking my coffee. I had been having trouble with my sciatic nerve which had caused a great deal of pain in my back, hip & leg, & I had been unable to sleep for several nights. So instead of just sitting (which was painful) with my coffee I decided to walk around the deck & move some of my plants. Just as I picked up the first plant I got stung on the foot by a bee that then became trapped between my toes. As I was trying to both kill the bee & free my foot from it, I began getting stung on my left leg (yes, the one that was already sore!). Bees were now in my pajama pants, & all I really could do as I hopped & screamed was take my pants off & hope that no one would see me. Now I'm free of the bees but standing half naked on my deck screaming like a banshee! Eventually I calmed down & went inside only to find I had nothing for bee stings. I dragged myself upstairs, threw on some pants & drove to CVS. As I limped through CVS I armed myself a bee sting stick, BenGay & Advil. I was in tears when I checked out. Of course I told the sympathetic clerk my story. Yes, I felt like a total baby, but it really hurt!

Catching Up

2009-06-09T04:13:00.000-07:00

Starting over . . .

I have watched some intense baseball . . . my own boys plus my nephew, Jay. The kind of baseball where your heart is in your throat . . . where you live & die with every pitch. This summer I have started back at square one with both Owen & Drew playing t-ball for the first time. The "rules" are unique . . . no score, no outs, everybody bats . . . just have fun & hopefully learn a little about baseball. Well, it is fun & funny & just about the cutest thing I've ever seen! Owen's league is for 5-6 year olds some of whom seem to have a clue. Drew's league is for 3-4 year olds & is more like herding kittens! Both boys have got the professional look down though . . . it's all about the uniform!

Moving on . . .

I attended Owen's preschool graduation a couple weeks ago. It was 3 songs, a certificate, & off to a celebratory lunch. Owen announced to his mom at some point that week that he was "moving up in the world."

Too fun . . .

For Christmas I received concert tickets for Julianne Hough from Ryan. No one has ever accused either Ryan or me of being shy so we picked our way through the crowd & positioned ourselves right in front of the stage. Yes, we may have had to elbow some pre-teen girls out of our way, but hey, how many opportunities does one get to be front & center at a concert! Ryan got some really amazing pictures from that vantage point (I think he took about 150!), & we stayed to meet her afterward & get a picture with her. Although I look like I'm half asleep in the picture, I really was energized & having a great time.

Weather . . .

I've always wondered why people talk so much about the weather until now. June gloom??? We have had maybe 5 days of sunny & warm since spring began! I'm sick of rainy & cold, sinus headaches, & constantly changing from heat to A/C & back. Summer? Bring it on!!!

I love a parade . . .

2009-05-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

Actually, I pretty much hate parades with the exception of the Disney electrical light parade. But this one was pretty unexpected & rather hilarious. Eight year old Kerry had the bright idea over Memorial weekend that we should end our family cookout with a parade. She determined that she would be the princess & would ride in the back of a pickup truck along with her three year old cousin, Drew, who would be the prince. Fearing that Drew wouldn't be allowed to ride without supervision, Kerry decided that his mom, Kelly, could be the queen & ride along with them. Kerry got her dad to drive & throw candy. Her grandfather appropriately was the grand marshall since he is a WWII veteran & was to lead the parade in his golf cart. Brother Jay would bring up the rear on a riding lawnmower. The parade route went around the block in their neighborhood. The rest of us were to be the spectators. A light drizzle did not deter this determined little group from their mini-parade. Kerry had signs for the truck & even made a sign for her grandfather to indicate that he was the grand marshall. A good time was had by all, & many good sports contributed to making this very special for Kerry! This parade I did love!!!

Drew is 3!!!

2009-05-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

Happy 3rd birthday, Drew Jacob Zundell! You are an interesting, funny, charming little guy . . . your personality is a nice combination of both of your parents. This has been a big year for you as you have become a big brother to Tyler along with mastering so many skills & acquiring an amazing vocabulary. I know it will continue to be fun to watch you learn & grow . . . I love you!

Still Alice

2009-04-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Here is why I don't want to read the book Still Alice about a woman who develops Altzheimers:

Yesterday on my way to tennis I realized that I had forgotten my water--no real biggie; we all do that. I knew I could buy water in the machine at the tennis center, but, since I had only a $20 bill, I started rooting through my purse for the $1.25 I would need for the machine. Although I was successful in finding enough change I also found (GASP) my paycheck from last week! Now I'm really concerned about the lack of money in my account--but I don't remember to make a deposit on the way to work today! It does occur to me as I pull into my office parking lot so I decide to go to the bank during lunch. As I wait in the drive-thru line I prepare my depoit ticket & endorse my check. Then I check my email & voicemail. (I'm beginning to realize I do not multi-task well!) Next I pay for my apples & yogurt & head for the bank. When I was sitting in the bank drive thru, I glanced at the passenger seat & realized that I had driven off without my food!

Woman vs Mailbox

2009-04-20T05:56:00.000-07:00

My neighborhood is quiet & has a very low volume of traffic. I always drive through slowly ever vigilant for pets, kids, &, of course, deer. So it's rather amazing that I managed to have a minor traffic accident less than a block from my house. As I was driving down my street my purse slid off the seat & turned upside down. I reached down to retrive it & accidently hit a mailbox. Yikes!

The mailbox survived, however, it knocked off my side mirror & put a rather unsightly dent in my car. I will take this as a reminder to keep focused on the driving & not be distracted by extraneous things. Message received!

Easter 2009

2009-04-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

At family gatherings I sometimes (okay, often) become the target of jokes. Unfortunately for me the more I put myself out there with blogging & twittering, the more material I provide my sons & nephews to bust me. My Iphone, which is such a source of entertainment & information for me, does get me into trouble from time to time. It seems that I am not always able to manage the phone, & once I make a blunder it's out there for all to see & ridicule. Yes, I did send a photo from my phone 16 times, send an email to all my contacts including people I don't know socially, tweet at Ryan Seacrest about my car . . . all inadvertent, but once I put it out there & then realize my mistake, it's too late! I'm learning that an attempt to tweet quickly from my phone is not such a great idea as it can lead to sending a direct message to someone whom I'm sure could care less. I find it ironic that those who are so quick to harass me for twittering are either following me or lurking (yes, Jan, I mean you!) So they seem to also find something pretty entertaining about twitter. At least I have the ability to laugh at myself for it seems I can always find a way to do something lame. My impulsiveness & the ability to put out a quick tweet are not a good match. To further complicate things for me, I now have TweetDeck to master--yikes!

It's amazing how well I respond to a list. Last Thursday night I made a list of the things I needed to do over the three day weekend. By mid-afternoon on Saturday I had completed everything on the list. Inexplicably the act of crossing items of the list provides me with motivation. Too bad I don't make a list more often!

Drew had his first Carpenter family money egg hunt this Easter although he seemed to be less interested in finding eggs than in finding eight year old Kerry! When I asked Drew if he wanted to find more eggs, he responded, "let's find Kerry!" He might have been more excited if the eggs had contained jelly beans since he managed to stuff quite a few of those into his mouth all at once. I put aside my aggressive egg hunting to walk with Drew & help him look. It was actually lots more fun! Tyler, still too young to look for eggs, was captivated by watching the dogs run around in the yard. By the way, I do know that Cyrus is not the Colorado egg hunting champion--seriously, I think he found fewer eggs than Drew & I did! How weird is this . . . Jenny found an egg from a prior year!

On a serious note as I sat in church with Rach, Trent, Adam, Kelly, Tyler & Drew yesterday I felt truly blessed!

Milestones

2009-04-06T06:02:00.000-07:00

I was in Ohio this past weekend visiting Ryan, Renea, Owen & Lucie. I arrived in time to watch Owen's private swim lesson & was blown away by how much he's improved since last summer! His freestyle looked like an actual freestyle, & he has a nearly flawless breast stroke. We went to the movies & went to church & all the while I was mindful of just how much Owen has matured. He has little problem sitting quietly when necessary. After I left yesterday he was going to try to ride his bike without training wheels . . . he promised to call & tell me how it went. About a hour so later while I was still driving home, he called. Yes, in a matter of minutes he had mastered the two wheel bike! So for Owen spring will be more bike riding & swimming along with t-ball. This five year old seems like he's ready to take on the world!

Just crazy!

2009-04-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

Who knew that Ryan & I would be leading the pack of the family blogs? Ryan has been blogging daily so I have attempted to step up my game as well. Trent & Adam . . . not so much! Blogging often about one topic is easier than trying to blog occasionally when there are numerous things I want to say & don't have the time or energy to type it all out. In addition I try to stay on pace with my kids' blogs, podcasts & tweets. Keeping up with my family & friends via the social media could be a second job!

Too cute!

2009-04-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we heard on the radio that former WVU quarterback (& future NFL star), Pat White would be at the Waterfront Hotel signing autographs. In an instant I called to see if I could take Drew to meet him & was told he could go. I picked him up & made a bad decision to try to go through town instead of getting back on the interstate. This little jaunt did lead to some lively conversation though. As I commented about the traffic, Drew wanted to know if everyone was going to see Pat White. In addition I was explaining to him why it was necessary to always stop for a school bus. A few moments later he yelled "STOP" from the back seat. I asked him what was wrong, & he told me a school bus was coming. So I then needed to further explain that we only needed to stop when the bus was stopped to load or unload kids. He told me we were taking the same road that they took to go to church & added that they didn't go to church last week because they had too many things to do. Of course he asked several times if we were almost there. Well, it was cute to see hundreds of preschool kids in various Pat White attire at the event. Drew did not miss a thing as he had on his WVU sweat suit, Pat White jersey, & WVU baseball cap. As we stood in line he was so friendly that all the security people kept stopping to chat with him. He was talking about all the things he planned to say to Pat. Eventually, we got to Pat, & after saying "hi" & giving Pat a fist bump, Drew became rather star struck. Pat was great though & started asking Drew questions like "do you like the Mountaineers?" So Drew answered Pat's questions, then wished him good luck like we had talked about. Drew was rather disappointed that Pat wasn't wearing his uniform though. All in all it was really fun! (Yes, I was excited to meet Pat too!)

April Fool

2009-04-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

I have not been into April Fool's pranks since graduating from grade school. In fact, for me it is pretty much like any other day. So when I checked my twitter account at work & discovered that Ricky Braddy, a friend of my nephew's who appeared on American Idol, stated that he would be back on AI & would appear on Ellen the following day, I immediately was excited. I called my sister to see what she knew about it, but she didn't answer. I then sent a text to my nephew asking him what was up. He didn't know anything about it but told me he would find out & let me know. A few minutes later I got a text telling me Ricky was playing an April Fool's joke. Haha! Well, of course, I had already started to spread the word that Ricky was back on AI. How dumb did I feel.

Apparently this planted a seed with my nephew. He lives in Nashville & has had the good fortune to become well acquainted with some celebrities there. So Wednesday night as I am driving home from tennis I get a call from him. He tells me he has some good news. My friends who are riding with me suddenly stop talking since I am shrieking excitedly as he tells me an elaborate story. He begins by telling me that one of his connections had set him up with an interview/audition. Making it very believable he describes his nervousness & his concern that his voice wasn't 100% due to a recent cold. All the details of this meeting were meticulously narrated including the names of everyone present for the group Rascal Flatts. He proceeded to tell me that their keyboard player was taking some time off since he & his wife were expecting a baby & that they seemed to like his audition. He went on to say they called him back & offered him a job going on tour for 6 months beginning in a couple of weeks. To further the story he said he went right out & bought a new car which he also described. I suggested that he email me a picture of the car; he agreed & asked me to check it out & call him back. After we hang up my friends & I are excitedly talking about getting tickets to see him on tour. I was so pumped about it that I forgot to check my phone for the picture. When I finally did, I saw a text message instead from my dear nephew stating "April Fool." Well, yes this year I am the April Fool!

Twitterific

2009-03-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

It started as a lark. My kids were talking about twitter so I decided to sign up & check it out. At first I only followed my kids plus Tony Caridi, the WVU play-by-play announcer. Easy enough, manageable . . . took only a few seconds a day. My son, Trent, then pointed out that I could get twitter on my iphone. Twitterific! One day I decided to add a couple of people that I knew were on twitter. Then these people added me. Soon strangers added me so I added them. Then I discovered celebrities on twitter so I added people like John Mayer (who twitters so much I may have to drop him!), ET & Ryan Seacrest. Then a friend of my nephew's was on American Idol so I added both him & his fansite. Of course, I was also twittering (tweeting) while I was adding & being added to other accounts. It wasn't long before I got some direct messages so I fired messages back. Recently I discovered both the head football coach & basketball coach at WVU were on twitter . . . couldn't add them fast enough! Soon I began checking my twitter account at red lights & while grocery shopping. I find it fascinating to not only keep up with those in my family who tweet but to also get random comments from miscellaneous other people.

I know I have an addictive personality (thank God I never tried drugs!) so I guess it's not surprising that I have now become a twitter addict. Is there a 12 step program for this?

De-frazzling

2009-03-31T05:27:00.000-07:00

After spending the majority of the weekend gathering data for FOUR tax returns, I am rather frazzled! Today I will drop all of this off at the accountant's . . . yippee . . . It will be off my back & become someone else's problem! I don't know why I find this so daunting. Perhaps it's because the IRS is pretty formidable, & I'm afraid of making a mistake. A prison term is not part of my long range plan! At any rate it will be a great feeling to have this over & done. What a bummer to spend most of the weekend immersed in paperwork though!

My project of having the main bathroom renovated was supposed to take a week. It was bad enough that the bathroom was torn apart the day before Ryan, Renea & Owen were coming for the weekend, but I thought it would be worth it to have it finished by Friday, March 20. Here we are on March 31st, & the bathroom is still a work in progress. Yikes! I'm sick of living with the mess not to mention the inconvenience. Contractors are just in a league of their own when it comes to deadlines!

On the home front there are a couple of exciting tidbits of news:

It was discovered on Saturday that 5 year old Owen is following in his father's footsteps & is a natural breaststroker! He also has signed up for a t-ball team.

It was believed that Drew, who will be 3 in May, had narrowly missed the cutoff to play 3-4 year old t-ball (can't really even wrap my mind around that!) this summer, but they will make an exception for him. Alrighty then, let's play ball!

TREATS!!!

2009-03-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Who knew? Apparently everyone but me! I only get unsweetened iced tea at McDonalds & don't give their menu a passing glance when I go to the drive-thru to order my tea. The other day my friend, Nancy, came back to the office after lunch with a treat for me. McDonald's low fat yogurt with berries & granola. Whoa, this is wonderful! In addition, my eight year old niece told me you can get apple slices with fat free caramel dipping sauce at Burger King. Well, I tried that & YUM! So I have been sharing this information with my friends all of whom already knew about these treats. Yikes, I feel like I've been living in a cave!

One thing (inevitably) leads to another . . .

2009-03-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

While shopping for a new WVU t-shirt for myself, I went to the boys department since those shirts fit me better & are generally less expensive. I found a shirt, but before I could buy it I spotted a WVU warm-up suit in Drew's size 50% off. Naturally, I had to have this too thinking I could save it for his birthday. I then went to get a baptism gift for Tyler. After I purchased his gift, I thought that I might as well give Drew the warm-up on Sunday when Tyler will be getting lots of gifts. So, that should have been the end of it, but a couple days later when I went to Walmart to purchase a cd, I saw a WVU basketball uniform in kids' sizes so I bought both Drew & Owen a uniform. Then I needed to get something more for Tyler so I bought him a couple of WVU onesies. Things seemed to be pretty even-steven at that point, but unfortunately, before I could check out I saw Spiderman t-shirts in Owen's size. So I picked one out, then went to see if I could find something comparable for Drew & Tyler. As luck would have it, I was able to get Spiderman t-shirts for them too. I proceeded to check out without a glance to the left or right since I feared I might find something else that would be just too cute to pass up. So not only have I purchased what I had planned (a little gift for Tyler's baptism & a t-shirt & cd for me), but I have also bought a warm-up, 2 onesies, 2 basketball uniforms, & 3 t-shirts. (Think I may refrain from shopping for awhile!)

Baffled

2009-03-07T06:48:00.001-08:00

Today as I was cleaning up my computer desktop & assigning photos to various albums, I came across this picture. I know that it was taken by my camera, not my iphone, but I have no idea who it is or where it came from. Owen & Drew occasionally will take a picture, but this is so random that I'm baffled by it. Before sending this to the trash, I thought I might just see if anyone could identify this person.

Reality Rant

2009-03-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

This week my reality tv life started out well with perhaps the best show of them all--The Amazing Race. My only real complaint with this show is that sometimes winning does not give the team a time advantage on the next leg of the race as waiting for flights or for a specific business to open allows other teams to catch up. I'm sure this is done to keep the whole thing competitive though.

On to Monday's Bachelor--yikes, there are no words! I haven't watched this show for quite a while, but there was something really appealing about Jason Mesnick, single dad of a 3 year old son & two-time loser in love. He seemed like such a stand-up guy. A couple weeks prior to the finale though, the sleaze factor emerged for me as he spent the night with three different women in the span of a few days. (Anyone else worried about STD's?) In addition, he was routinely shown kissing & making out with all of them in the same day & sometimes even on the same date! As you may have heard, he was torn between two women in the end. Now in my opinion these conflicted feelings should have been enough for this man to know he was not ready to propose marriage to anyone, but nooooo! He dumped one, sobbed uncontrolably, then proposed to the other all on the same day. Fast foward to the show immediately following the finale--Six weeks have elapsed from the proposal to the taping of this After the Final Rose show. On this show, he changes his mind & dumps his fiancee; then asks the one he rejected to take him back. Like a fool she agrees! Of course, in five minutes they are making out. The real winner here--bachelorette Jillian, who made it to the final three & was then eliminated. Well, I'm so angry that I wasted three hours watching this on Monday & that I ever actually thought this man had any redeeming qualities. Somewhere his ex-wife is probably laughing her head off!

Last, but not least, American Idol. For me this show has become over-produced & far less of a "reality" show each season. In the preliminary auditions, they cut a huge number of people who can actually sing so that some of the crazies go through to see Randy, Paula, Simon, & Kara.
That might have been a mildly entertaining in the first season, but it's become old & tired now. It seems the power-that-be at Idol are more interested in drama, backstories, etc., than in providing an opportunity for an unknown singer to emerge to win a recording contract. As a viewer I would like to see all singers who make the top 36 have a televised audition. Since the show chose to show drama instead of singing in the early weeks, a few of the top contestants were seen for the first time the night they had to sing to be voted through to the top 12 while others already had been so heavily featured that they already had fan clubs & had the message boards buzzing. Level playing field? I think not! Yes, I've become cynical & am so over watching this contrived show!

The good news . . . Dancing with the Stars premieres on Monday!

Inept!

2009-02-24T14:05:00.000-08:00

What was I thinking? I should never buy furniture that comes in a box! Over the weekend I bought a new tv stand, & thought it would be easy enough for me to assemble. I guess prior episodes of having parts & pieces scattered all over the room with no real ability to make sense of it all had faded from my memory. Last night I spent over an hour trying to figure it all out to no avail. If I could have managed to get all the pieces back in the box, I would have returned it to Walmart. Now I'm stuck with a tv on the floor & pieces of wood, screws, tools all over the room. I guess it will be necessary to do what I always seem to do when I have a crisis that requires tools; I'll call Trent.

This & That

2009-02-23T04:36:00.000-08:00

Recently a local radio station was promoting an appearance by Steve, the Regurgitator. Naturally, Nancy & I were curious as to why anyone would want to pay money to go watch someone vomit. The thought of it was nauseating! So we googled him & found this video. I wonder at what point in this person's life this would this seem like something he would want to try to do for a living! Stevie Starr the Regurgitator

Owen, age 5, has been playing floor hockey so I traveled to Ohio to catch a game. Amazingly, these four & five year old kids wielding hockey sticks all seemed to grasp the concept of getting the puck & pushing it toward the goal. Other than the time I was snapping a picture of Owen & he stopped playing to pose for me, he took the whole thing pretty seriously. There were times it all was rather hilarious, but I found my competitive spirit kicked in when Owen almost scored, & I nearly jumped out of my seat! He did score recently & called to tell me about it . . . it seems that while scoring he simultaneously lost his shoe!

This past weekend I took care of Drew & Tyler while their parents went out on a date night. With very busy lives & two young children, Adam & Kelly don't get to go out together that often. After about five books & several stalling tactics, Drew seemed pretty compliant about going to sleep. Then I heard him "fake" crying & went in to ask him what was wrong. He then said "I NEVER get to see my daddy (awww, I thought . . . Adam had a game the night before, & I guess Drew was really missing him) . . . or my mommy (Kelly is with him just about 24/7)! I then realize that Drew is just being a little dramatic. So I tell him that his mom & dad will be home soon & will check on him & kiss him goodnight. "Ok," he says, "love you." And that was that.

Whew!

2009-02-11T05:19:00.000-08:00

A week ago I received a phone call about 9:30 pm from a man whose name I did not recognize on my caller ID. Reluctantly, I answered the call & was immediately asked some questions. The caller asked my name & if I had a credit/debit card with a certain bank. I responded rather cryptically. The caller then asked if my card was in my possession. I told him that I was sure it was since I had used the card earlier in the day. He asked me to go check so I did. My card was missing! He then asked where I last used it, & I told him. As it turns out he had found my card lying in the entryway of that store. So he now tells me he would like to return the card to me & begins to give me directions to his house. In my mind a red flag goes up . . . he lives on a road in a rather remote area . . . so I tell him I am unfamiliar with that road & doubt that I could locate his house at night. He then suggests meeting in a parking lot of a business that I know would be closed so I tell him I don't know where that is either. He offers to bring the card to my house, but I do not want to give him my address. I suggest meeting in a Dairy Mart parking lot since I know it will be well lit & should have people milling about. I think this man finally sensed that I was uneasy with all of this & offered to bring his wife along. While I was driving to meet him, a zillion thoughts go through my mind as I am rather afraid. A few minutes later we did meet at the Dairy Mart. This man turned out to be quite nice, & (anyone who knows me well will not be surprised) we talked for about 15 minutes. As it turns out he had a son in high school with two of my sons & called me because he remembered the last name. Upon meeting he told me he remembered my son as a high school football star . . . & my (looking back on it) somewhat egotistical response was "which one?" All's well that ends well, but I was really frightened! Unfortunately, it's difficult to trust anyone in today's world, but as it turns out this guy was a good samaritan!

Catching Up

2009-01-20T05:28:00.000-08:00

I guess I wanted to start 2009 by being better organized & by getting back to the healthy eating & exercise that became rather sporadic over the holidays. This plan was thwarted by a bout with the flu that sidelined me for several days. Having already used 2 of my 5 sick days for the year in January is a real bummer!

The holidays were fun, crazy, chaotic . . . lots of family & food! I then felt it was my duty to eat anything left over including the sweets so I may have been on a sugar high for awhile. When I wasn't on a sugar high, I definitely also had my quota of alcohol with delicious after dinner coffees laced with Tia Maria or Starbucks creme liquor as well as Eddie's Irish coffee & lots of wine. We were able to get a rather amazing group photo on Christmas day of the family gathered at my house for dinner. It was amazing in that no one looked bad. With a group this size (23) & no professional photographer plus several kids, this is quite an accomplishment!

So I'm attempting to now get back to real life . . . back to the gym, back to the brown bag lunch, back to finding some sense of order both at home & at work. The social media has grabbed me to the point that I could spend literally hours reading blogs, listening to podcasts, texting, & twittering--yikes, it can be a real waste of time, but it's such a quick & easy method to keep up with everything! Finding out that President Obama was twittering throughout his campaign has rather legitimized it for me, however, I'm sure his answer to "what are you doing right now?" is way more riveting than my "getting ready to take a nap" or "watching the Steelers!"

As a quick aside, my little grandsons are complete delights who continue to amaze & enthrall me! It is quite a tall task not to spoil them rotten!!!

So I guess the funniest/most unusual thing that happened to me recently was my trip to the eye doctor for my dad's appointment on a day the temperature was -3. Across from us in the waiting room was a 30ish man wearing boxer shorts (or boxer-style shorts . . . I'm not sure if he actually was wearing his underwear) with hunting boots. I could see way more of him than I wanted to & couldn't imagine why anyone would choose this attire on any day let alone the coldest day of the year! It was so entertaining that the staff one by one found an excuse to visit the waiting room to check it out. I just crossed my fingers & hope that my dad would reserve his comments for later which thankfully he did!

(For anyone who missed it, check out my nephew Brooks Parker on youtube singing with Sarah Chapman in an Amy Grant/Vince Gill Christmas concert in Nashville.) Baby Its Cold Outside - Sarah Chapman & Brooks Parker

Deck the Halls

2008-12-04T05:49:00.000-08:00

In the summer most residents in my development hire a service to groom & maintain their lawns. There are a few who cut their own grass with a riding mower. I, however, am the only one who does her own mowing with a push mower, &, of course, also do my own trimming & weed eating. I'm sure it's quite a sight to see this girl chasing a self-propelled mower since I often forget to release this feature going downhill! I could sell tickets!

Yesterday it was unseasonably warm . . . that is, the temperature climbed all the way to 50 degrees. I lamented that work & evening tennis would prevent me from using this warmer weather to put Christmas lights up outside my house. About 10:30 last night it occurred to me that I could just go ahead & put the lights up right then. So I dragged out the lights, extension cords, ladder, etc. & went to work on it. During my time outside, many cars slowed to see what the heck I was doing. About midnight I finished . . . just in time to unplug them for the night . . . but I do have a sense of accomplishment. And once again, I'm sure I provided entertainment for the neighborhood.

Thanksgiving

2008-12-03T04:23:00.000-08:00

Nothing brings joy to the holidays more than children, and this year Drew & Tyler did not disappoint! Drew announced that he would be Brooks' & Brett's little buddy all day, & although he was, we would also need to include Uncle Eddie in that mix. Tyler very sweetly let everyone have a chance to hold & cuddle with him. Jan, Kelly, Rachael, & I managed to put together a wonderful meal. The entertainment was often provided unwittingly by Drew & his oh so hilarious comments. It was great to see my dad laugh & enjoy himself so much! (Brooks had a surprise gift for us that still has me on Cloud 9!)

On Friday WVU finally faltered enough to drop out of contention for a Big East Championship & a BCS bowl. The sting of losing the backyard brawl (WVU-Pitt) was lessened somewhat by watching it with the family. Jack & Pam came in bringing several pizzas, & we managed to stuff ourselves while yelling at the tv! Ah, yes, misery does love company, & we shared our disappointment & frustration.

All Atwitter?

2008-11-07T04:18:00.000-08:00

Just when I think I'm all new age with blogging, something new comes up . . . twittering! I'll admit I know very little about it. I don't think it's supposed to replace blogging since I read that twittering increases traffic to your blog. I'm under the impression that it may be some kind of a social network, but it seems to be something easier & less involved than facebook or myspace. Is it a low maintenance version? Who knows? I have read that there's a 180 word limit to a twitter. Would it be interesting? I guess that depends on how it's used since I really don't care too much for a bulletin that someone has gone to lunch or is watching tv. I do plan to investigate this, however. It could be fascinating or just another way to waste time on the computer!

Halloween Hooker

2008-11-04T04:34:00.000-08:00

On Halloween I dressed as a punk rock chick for work. Although I had bought a blonde wig with a patch of black hair that looked pretty cute on the package, when I put it on it looked like witch hair. Nothing I tried would tame it so I teased my own hair & added color with eye shadow & blush--this was visible under the lights at work. I used some heavy make-up as well. I put on a mini skirt, tights, boots, a feather boa, & a shiny top. I added lots of jewelry including some large hoop earrings. All of this was fairly effective on Friday morning. As the day wore on though, my hair flattened out some & my make-up wore off a little. I needed to go from work to Adam & Kelly's to see the kids dressed up & pass out candy at their house while they were trick-or-treating. After several trips to the door with candy at their house, I decided it would be easier to just sit outside with the candy bowl. I removed the scratchy boa & put on my jacket. In a few minutes a man from across the street (he & his wife were also passing out candy while their kids/grandkids were out) walked over & struck up a conversation. He thought I looked familiar & in the course of our conversation we discovered that our paths had crossed in college & numerous times since then with our kids' sports. We talked for several minutes before Adam & Kelly returned, & we all went inside. Suddenly I realized that this man may not have known I was supposed to be in a costume. My hair & make-up were not as extreme as they were in the morning; my funky boa was in the house. I think that perhaps I just looked like a cheap hooker! I can only imagine the conversation this man may have had with his wife after talking with me . . . "she seemed like such a nice girl in college--wonder what happened!" He probably thought I was headed for the nearest street corner as soon as trick-or-treating ended.

The Gameday Trifecta

2008-10-28T04:05:00.001-07:00

What are the odds that Trent's car would be parked in the lot behind my office with a dead battery & in less than an hour, Ryan's car would be parked in front of my office with a dead battery? Well, it happened on the day of the WVU/Auburn game. Trent had come by my office to pick up his tickets. He was leaving work early to go home & cook out with friends who had come in for the game. Ryan was traveling from Marietta to go to the game & was stopping to see his grandfather on the way here. When Trent's battery conked out & wouldn't even respond to a jump, I gave him my car, called my dad (Ryan's grandfather) to see if I could borrow one of his cars, & called Ryan to ask him to pick up the keys from his grandfather. Since we were in a time crunch, Ryan & I decided we could drive his car to the game & pick up his grandfather's car afterwards. When I cleaned out my stuff to give Trent my car, I was most interested in getting my "toasty toes" footwarmers. I guess that was such a priority for me that I forgot to get both my parking pass & my garage door opener even though Trent had reminded me. So now the time crunch becomes even more of an issue as we realize that we have to go by Trent's house in Morgantown to pick up the pass & the opener.

Ryan arrives at my office, & I finish up my work. We need to go quickly to my house to change clothes & get the tickets. When we get in his car, it won't start. Fortunately, Nancy is still at work & is willing to help us jump it. The only problem is that Ryan is parallel parked & there is a car directly in front of him. He decides to push the car backwards to allow Nancy a space to pull in front of him. So he tells me to get into his car to steer, to put the car in neutral & to be sure to keep my foot on the brake. Ryan pushes & pushes, but the car won't budge. Who knew he meant to keep my foot on the brake only until he could position himself in front of the car to push! Eventually he does get the car pushed back & is able to start it with a jump. We drive to the house & decide to turn the car off & back on to be sure it will start. Well, it doesn't start back up! Three car battery problems in one day is almost unimaginable! Now we need my dad's car sooner rather than later now so I call my sister. Luckily she & Eddie bring us the car, & we are off--much later than we had hoped to be though. About halfway there I realize that I had left my "toasty toes" back at the house, but fortunately Ryan had stopped to buy some & had actually remembered to bring them along.

We battled traffic on the interstate & again in getting to Trent's house. Our thoughts of getting something good for dinner went down the drain as it got later & later. Our only option was to drive through Wendy's on the way to the stadium. Somewhere during the first half when WVU fell behind 17-3, I wondered why we had put ourselves through so much of a hassle to get to the game. The Mountaineers did not disappoint, however, & rallied to dominate in the second half & win the game. The stadium was rockin!!! It was soooo worth it!

Time with Tyler

2008-10-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

Two month old Tyler & his brother Drew are pretty much a package deal. Spending time with them is always fun, but occasionally some one-on-one time is nice too. This week I had a little time with baby Tyler while Drew was taking a swimming lesson. It was so much fun to get Tyler to smile & "talk" & to totally focus on him for a while. What a little cutie he is!!

Shifting Gears

2008-10-16T04:31:00.000-07:00

I totally love having music blasting in my car & usually sing along. The other day as I was driving to church for bell choir rehearsal I was playing & singing to "Let it Rock." As I parked my car & started to enter the church this song was still running through my head. Two minutes later I began rehearsal & was playing "Rondo Passagalia."

Woman vs Machine

2008-10-15T04:24:00.000-07:00

I think there are good reasons why I hate housework! This weekend while vacuuming the entire house I had not one, but three encounters with the vacuum cleaner that prove my point. After vacuuming one of the bedrooms I set the sweeper out in the hallway. It was only a matter of seconds before I ran past it to get the phone & hit my foot sharply on the base. It was soooo painful!! I think I probably broke my toe since it continued to throb all day long & is still hurting three days later. Persevering I moved downstairs to continue vacuuming & stretched the cord to the max before unplugging it. When I stopped to go unplug the cord to plug it in elsewhere, the vacuum fell over on my other foot. Undaunted I continued but before I was able to complete this task I tripped on the cord & fell into the coffee table. I finally finished sweeping before putting the damn vacuum in the closet & slamming the door so I guess in some way I prevailed.

Sports Weekends

2008-10-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

Beginning with Labor Day my weekends have been dominated by sports. Not that I'm actually playing a sport on the weekends (although I do play tennis on Wednesdays); I am watching sports.

WVU's opening football game was 5 year old Owen's second time at Mountaineer field. I think he liked all the pre-game hoopla more than the actual game . . . tossing the football around in the parking lot, seeing the band's pre-game show, watching the video board in the stadium, etc. were sources of entertainment. Shortly after the game started Owen was ready to return to my house to play with the remote control helicopter he had received as a gift the night before.

The following weekend I was off to watch Jay play football (Mt. Union College) in Alliance, OH. Jeff & I were going to Jay's apartment to watch WVU play on ESPN as soon as Jay's game was over. Well, WVU played a TERRIBLE game & neither Jeff nor Jay wanted to chat about it. The game itself (WVU lost to ECU) was bad enough . . . watching it in relative silence only made it more agonizing for me!

Next up, a trip to Nashville to see Brett (Belmont University) play two soccer games. I got to see Brett score his first two goals of the season which was really exciting! In between the Friday & Sunday games we went out to both lunch & dinner, went to the mall where I could not resist buying a few things. For just over $100 I was able to buy 2 pairs of pants & 2 tops at the store where my nephew, Brooks, works by using his discount. I don't know if I was more excited about the bargains or the sizes though as in this store I usually wear a size 0--never anything bigger than a 1--instead of my usual 6-8 . (Yes, I am curious about what size actual tiny people would wear in this store!) Next up, I finished off my Visa gift cards from work by buying a great pair of designer sunglasses--the first really nice sunglasses I have ever owned. We hung out in the evening at the Amy Grant/Vince Gill home. Just wow!

Drew got his first "real" game experience at Mountaineer field for the Marshall game. Adam, Trent & I had taken him to the spring game, but this was vastly different in atmosphere. Amazingly, Drew was only out of his seat once when I took him for a hotdog & to say hello to his great grandfather in a different area of the stands. He attracted quite a bit of attention as strangers asked to take his picture before the game--he was pretty cute in his Pat White jersey & Mountaineer baseball cap! He also learned the first down cheer & watching him do that was hilarious!

For me fall sports weekends are compensation for the end of summer. Having an increasing number of sports in so many different venues is a real plus. Getting to share this with various members of my family makes each weekend really special!

Watch out for deer

2008-09-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

My deck is my favorite place to be during warm weather. It is a great place to read, watch tv, & nap, as well as to visit with family & friends. It is my sanctuary. Well, my this sanctuary has been violated on several occasions this summer by deer. Not only have the come forward to destroy my flowers, but they have also left a parting gift. My friend Nancy says this is unheard of, but I have evidence!!! Unfortunately I am just a magnet for these kind of things.

Deer in Headlights

2008-09-13T10:45:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Oops

2008-09-12T05:17:00.000-07:00

The adventures with my new iphone continue. Last week in an attempt to get some free downloads from the app (which I thought was Apple, but is actually applications) store, I inadvertently sent a mass email to everyone in my address book offering a free gift for signing up at a certain site. Well, I didn't even realize I did this until a friend called me at work to ask what the gift was. While I was denying that I sent this email, my coworker told me that she received the same thing from me. Thus began an influx of replies to my email regarding this. Now when I say a mass email to my whole address book, let me explain that it's not just my friends & family but lists of members of my church & various other organizations as well as people I haven't corresponded with in years. So I sent another mass email attempting to explain that this was a mistake & apologizing, however, those replies just keep on coming. I am responding to these individually once again explaining that this was an accident & that I need to get a clue about how to use my new iphone. Yes, it's like I had taken out a billboard stating I am soooo lame!

I decided to go running with my phone instead of my ipod shuffle since the phone has way more music choices. In retrospect I don't know why this is such a big deal since I only run for thirty minutes! Anyway, I was disappointed in the quality of the music & kept turning up the volume since it was barely audible. Finally I realized that I was not hearing the music through my earbuds but through the actual phone. A quick check provided me with a remedy--the phone jack was not pushed all the way in!

On a happier note about my phone, I had what I thought was a major problem with it as the screen was frozen. All the phone would do is make & receive calls--well, actually BE a phone which I guess could have been worse. I sent a text to Trent who called me in a matter of minutes. He asked me what was wrong & took me through a technique that totally fixed it--all in about one minute. He is brilliant!!!

Monkey see, Monkey do

2008-08-29T05:06:00.000-07:00

For months I have been talking about getting an iphone. Oh, it was just talk when the phone cost $400 . . . absolutely out of the question! However, when I heard the price was going to be cut in half, I started to seriously consider it. All three of my sons have been less than enthuastic about this . . . I think they were thinking that it is too much phone for me. Trent & Adam called it to my attention the other day that I had begun to say "when" I get an iphone instead of "if" I get an iphone. Wednesday night was the clincher though when my friend pulled her new iphone out of her purse. I was so envious that I'm sure I turned a zillion shades of green!

Yesterday it became a fait accompli as I purchased the phone & signed a two year contract. Yippee!! My initial task was to text my sons that I had a new phone. After a couple of unsuccessful tries I was able to do this. Trent's response, "Good Lord! I'll be over in a hour." Well, he was right . . . I did need his help . . . which was probably confirmed by my text message which was supposed to say "I need help," but instead said "I need hello." Trent came by my office & showed me a few things to do when I got home & could sync to my computer. It all seemed relatively easy. When I got home I plugged my phone into the computer & got no response . . . this could be a problem! After several tries I needed to leave it & go exercise. Upon my return I tried again with no luck so, of course, I called Trent. He patiently took me through all kinds of things from figuring out an USB port that would work to syncing all my music & photos so I'm practically ready to go. My only remaining problem was embarrassingly stupid though--I did not know how to make a call or answer the phone! Trent explains this as well, & I think I am good to go. After playing with my phone for a few minutes I decided to call it a night. But first I needed to make one more call to Trent . . . I had no idea how to turn the phone off!

Tyler Nicholas

2008-08-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world, Tyler Nicholas!

You are beautiful, of course, & we are so blessed to have you as a wonderful addition to our family. You have some terrific parents as well as a big brother who will be both your best friend & your partner in crime! You will be amazed at how many people there are to love you . . . grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and much more extended family. You are indeed a little miracle to be cherished & nurtured. I look forward to cuddles & kisses along with all the very special things we can do together as you grow.
Your arrival has made this world a much better place for all of us! I hope you always know how very special you are & the joy your birth has brought to our family.

I love you,
Nina

A very brief pause in my Olympic watching. . .

2008-08-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

While we're waiting for BZ#2, the Olympics is a good diversion. I am totally invested in the swimming, especially Michael Phelps! The whole Olympic thing is actually wearing me out though as I stay up until at least 1:00; then get up at 6:00 . . . I hate to miss any of it! I'm not a fan of tattoos, but I think the Olympic rings do look pretty cool on the competitors.

Who knew people would be almost giddy at gasoline at $2.72 tonight! There were actually lines at the Exxon in my neighborhood which seemed to be at least 3 cents cheaper than any other place in town.

Unfortunately, before I could even cut the tags off my two new chairs, Tigger & Trevor have staked their claim. They have both decided that this is the best napping place in the house now.

In case anyone was worried, after an exhaustive two day search I have located my new bra.

Happy birthday to my brother, Jack (13th) & niece, Megan (15th)!

Braless

2008-08-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

This summer I have changed my exercise routine & have become very enamored with zumba. I have noticed recently that although my weight pretty much stays the same, I have gone down a size in clothes.

I went to Victoria's Secret a couple weeks ago to talk to someone about my bras riding up in the back (which causes the "girls" to droop in the front). I approached a sales clerk & explained my problem assuming it was the style of the bra. She asked my what size I was wearing & thought perhaps she should measure me. When she did I was amazed to find that I needed a size smaller around & as well as a smaller cup size. Who knew how far reaching the zumba effect had become!

Well, the clerk was right on the money as I did try on some bras & found that the smaller size was a much better fit. My only problem--the bras are at $38 apiece so I only bought one. When I got home, I rummaged through my drawer to discover one other bra that was the smaller size. Ok, now I have two bras--I just to rotate wearing & washing--no biggie. So I packed up my old, but still in great condition, bras & took them to a women's shelter. Today, however, when I went to get my new freshly washed bra, it was not in the drawer. I checked the bathrooms to see if it was still hanging where I placed it to dry. I checked the washing machine, other drawers, my closet, my gym bag & every other place I could think of. The bra is nowhere to be found. Now this creates a real dilemma of having to wash my one existing bra nightly since my only other bras are sports bras. It has to be somewhere here in the house (the chief suspects are two pesky cats), but for now I'm practically braless.

Back to the Land of the Living

2008-08-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

I have never been prone to headaches, but I had one Friday night & most of the day Saturday that pretty much brought me to my knees. Stress . . . allergies . . . sinus . . . who knows? I have only had one migraine in my life, & this wasn't quite that bad, but it was a very close second. I am grateful that it finally became just a dull ache last night so that I could watch some of the Olympics both live & what I had recorded earlier. It was a real waste of a beautiful Saturday, however!

Recently I have taken some time off from the WVU message boards (ever since RR finally agreed to pay the $4 million). Instead of my sports talk radio I am listening to music CDs. And I have now turned on my tv since I LOVE the Olympics, but for the summer I have pretty much only watched the Today show while getting ready for work & nothing in the evenings. Not so fast though, I am recording "Project Runway" & will probably watch it at some point. I guess it's just nice to do some other things for awhile & take a radio/tv break.

Olympics observations . . .
1) Michael Phelps is just amazing! There are really not enough superlatives to describe him. My hat's off to Debbie Phelps, his mom. I know on a much smaller scale just what it's like to spend your week days transporting to & from practice & your weekends in either the blazing sun or a hot, humid indoor venue watching swim meets. It is not only time consuming, but also very expensive. I can only imagine how much of her life she has devoted to giving her son every opportunity to succeed. She has every reason to be proud!
2) I like the "redeem team" much more than the basketball teams from the past few years. They seem dedicated to team play &, unlike some of their predecessors, seem to also be soaking up the Olympic experience.
3) USA men's gymnastics may ultimately become a train wreck without the twins, but it was nice to see these newcomers have some early success.
4) Dara Torres--What a phenomenal woman . . . Really beyond awesome & quite an inspiration to women everywhere!!!
5) Volleyball/Beach Volleyball--great fun to watch.
6) Men's Road Race (Biking)--Grueling, I know, but also really boring for the viewers until the final few yards. I'm sure the women's race will be equally ho-hum for me.
7) Although I know the opening/closing ceremonies of the games are spectacular in person, it also gets pretty boring when televised. It is difficult to appreciate this show without actually being there.

HB OMZ!

2008-08-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

Owen,

8-8-08 . . . what a cool day to become 5 years old! Happy Birthday, Owen. Somehow it seems like just yesterday when you were born (when I heard your first cry, I cried too!) At the same time, it seems like you have been in our lives & hearts forever. You were the CBE (cutest baby ever), a title you relinquished to Drew when you moved up to CTE (cutest toddler ever). At any rate I remember taking 20-30 pictures of you every time I saw you, & then paying extra for the 1 hour processing so that I could show them off to my friends . . . all before I got my digital camera, of course. You have kept me entertained with playing trains, making stuffed animals come to life, reading books, and lots of other activities as your imagination is boundless! I am constantly awed & amazed at just how much you know about the things that interest you . . . I'm sure it's exasperating for you to have to explain the nuances of different kinds of trains to me over & over!

You are energy & enthusiasm . . . light & love. What a joy & a blessing to have you in our lives! Have a great birthday party . . . wish I could be there to watch you break the pinata!!!

I love you,
Nina

Ah . . . the good old days

2008-08-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

For lack of anything better to do last night, I got into some housecleaning & found something interesting from my teenage years. When my group of friends hit high school as sophomores we could scarcely contain our enthusiasm for the older boys . . . yes, the ones who could drive & were beyond cool. As luck would have it, within a few weeks we were all dating seniors & totally smitten. How better to memorialize this than by writing a song? So, one day when we were pretending to take gym class (the class was doing archery outside . . . we were clustered in the bushes), we came up with the following:
"Dave, Ron, Lindy, & Steve
they are so tough (which at that time meant "hot")
If you want to go with them
just consult us
One of these days they're going to break our hearts
but we don't care
'Cause we really love them & follow them everywhere . . ."
It goes on with a verse to describe each guy which becomes increasingly lame. Now, I can remember vividly doing this & how excited we were at fifteen to finally get to go out on real dates with guys in cars. I can remember which friends did this with me & how we sang it over & over for weeks. But I can't for the life of me remember which of the four guys was the one I liked at the time!

More adventures in fast food . ..

2008-07-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

It would be reasonable to assume that since I am in the final three days of a national sales contest that pays big bucks, I would have more effective ways of spending my time than traveling back & forth to McDonalds & haggling with the staff. I usually bring my lunch (yogurt & fruit) to work & only occasionally get something out as a "treat" to go along with my iced tea. Yesterday, I decided to get an Asian chicken salad at McDonalds &, of course, my tea. It has mixed greens, beans, pepper strips, mandarin oranges, almonds & a great low fat ginger/sesame dressing. The other salads there are iceberg lettuce with very fattening dressings & contain things such as bacon that I don't consider low cal. Anyway, I have learned the hard way to always taste my iced tea in the drive-thru because about 25% of the time I am given tea with sugar instead of unsweetened. Now, in my mind, drinking calories is only appropriate when it's nutritious (juice) or contains alcohol, so the sweetened tea thing is totally unacceptable! I did not consider, however, that I should check my salad in the drive-thru. Upon returning to work I got my salad out, opened the dressing, & began adding it when I realized that both the salad & the dressing were not what I ordered. Since I had spend nearly 15 minutes in the drive-thru to get my lunch, I decided to return, park, & go inside. About ten minutes later someone did wait on me . . . two people actually . . . as I attempted to "exchange" my salad for the correct one. We had a conversation about how I might have just kept the salad if the dressing had been the ginger/sesame. Although it took at least another five minutes, I finally got my salad. Just to be on the safe side, I checked the dressing & found it was NOT the one I ordered. They then gave me the correct dressing. When I returned to work & opened the salad, I discovered that once again it was the wrong one! Tired of messing with it & disgusted, I was really no longer in the mood for a salad. I thought I would just wait until the lunch crowd dissapated at McDonalds & go get my money back. A few minutes later Jeff offered to do this for me, & I took him up on it. While he was gone I ate a protein bar for lunch. He came back a few minutes later with yet another salad--McDonals had refused (after THREE trips there) to return my money, but they did finally provide the correct salad. Since I had already eaten, I placed the salad in the fridge & decided I would take it home to have for dinner--which would have been a great plan had I not forgotten all about it until after I got home. Today I don't really even want to look at the damn thing!

Nesting Vicariously

2008-07-27T04:02:00.000-07:00

Suddenly, yesterday it hit me like a ton of bricks . . . Adam & Kelly could have their baby ANY DAY NOW! Kelly, one of the most organized people I know, is well prepared. She has somehow understood that she had nine months to get ready & has done so in a logical progression. On the other hand, I fly by the seat of my pants most of the time (unfortunately two of my sons have inherited this trait, one of whom is Kelly's husband). A sense of urgency came over me yesterday when, after 4 plus hours driving back & forth to Marietta with Adam to pick up a chest of drawers, I decided I absolutely must get back in the car & drive to Bridgeport to shop for Owen's birthday & pick up a "big brother" gift for Drew. I returned home about 7:30 & proceeded to stay up until nearly 2 AM to finish knitting the blanket for the new baby. Today after church I plan to tackle the laundry as I realized that I am nearly out of underwear! I had the thought that maybe Ryan & Renea would come in when the baby is born so I plan to clean up the house & change the sheets on the beds today. I can't imagine getting the call that Kelly is in labor & responding that I will be right there as soon as I wash & dry some underwear, run the sweeper, dust, change the sheets, etc. The flurry of activity for me would be entirely unnecessary if only I could have Kelly's organizational skills!

Power-less

2008-07-24T03:45:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday afternoon about 4:00 I had come to a stopping point in my yard work just as the sky was getting dark & threatening. I decided to go in, take a shower, & go visit my dad. I quickly threw a load of clothes in the washer & went upstairs to shower. Suddenly the wind outside became almost a gale as rain was pouring down. Before I could get into the shower my power went off. I seldom lose power for any significant amount of time so I waited a few minutes hoping it would return. Unfortunately, the sky was so dark that inside my house it looked like the middle of the night. I decided to try a bath in the dark since I was filthy & would not be able to wash my hair since there was no way to dry it. I managed to bathe in the dark bathroom & felt a little better.

Since there was virtually nothing I could do at home, I thought I would just go to see my dad anyway. I went to call him & remembered that my phone is now bundled with my cable & internet & cannot be used without electricity. No problem, I'll just get my cell . . . dead battery! I decided to just go anyway, but I forgot that I needed to disengage my garage door. After I accomplished getting the door open (it's really heavy), I hopped in the car & started out. Yes, I decided to just leave it up while I was gone & lock the door inside leading to the house . . . probably not the best idea I've ever had, but I was desperate for something to do. Within seconds I was flagged down by an oncoming car & informed that the development road was closed. There was a power line lying in the road, & no traffic was allowed in either direction. I returned home, located a ladder in the dark garage, & climbed up to reach the garage door to lower it.

It's uncanny the number of times I attempted to do something that required power! For example, when I decided to make a turkey sandwich for dinner, I popped it right into the microwave to melt the cheese & at some point I attempted to turn on my ceiling fan! As the long evening stretched in front of me, I was both bored & frustrated & becoming increasingly hot due to the lack of A/C. I had a small window of communication as I could use my cell phone on it's charger in the car in the hot & dark garage. I attempted to knit by flashlight & could complete only a few rows. Then I tried to pack since I was leaving for Marietta the next day but couldn't see well enough to do that either. . . & many of the clothes I needed were still in the washer! Thank goodness for my portable CD player which did allow me to listen to some music when out of utter boredom I decided to just go to sleep. The next morning I was greeted by flashing clocks everywhere as power had been restored.

So much for saying no

2008-07-15T04:23:00.000-07:00

The phone rings. A quick glance at my caller ID lets me know that the caller is someone from church . . . someone I know in no other context . . . someone who must be calling to ask me to do something at church. The temptation to just let the phone ring is almost overwhelming, but I realize that to ignore the call would just be postponing the inevitable. I pick up the phone automatically preparing my excuses for being unable to do whatever . . . summer is such a busy time at work, Adam & Kelly's baby is due in August, I have responsibilities with my dad . . . But I answer. I tell myself to just politely say no. The committee involves meetings, research, & writing an extensive report (Sign me up for some of that!) As my excuses begin to form an answer, he tells me he plans to have it all completed by September. Well, I think, I can stand anything for three months. I can hardly believe my ears as my answers escapes as "I guess I could help out with that."

Vaca(s) Report

2008-07-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's not much of a report so to speak, but here goes . . .

In June I took two vacations. Wow, that's pretty early in the summer to vacation . . . no traveling to look forward to in July or August. First, the whole family went to Deep Creek. We rented a four bedroom house with two living areas & two decks & pretty much used every inch of it. The first morning Owen, who was sharing a room with me, whispered loudly, "Nina, can we get up now?" It was 5 am!!! Yes, both boys are early risers, but the rest of the time 6 am was more the norm. So we found some fun things to do & some good places to eat. It's amazing that both Owen & Drew could be excited about spotting a chipmunk while taking a walk, but they were! Owen was old enough for the mountain roller coaster, race car driving, & mini-golf. Drew was quite satisfied with swimming & playing games in the arcade. Both kids are total fish in the pool!!! It's always wonderful to spend time with the kids & grandkids, but most especially when we are all together. I am so at peace when we are all sleeping under the same roof.

Vacation #2 was my annual girl week in St. Augustine. We played lots of tennis, exercised, read, knitted, & relaxed on the beach. We went out to a restaurant/bar to watch the NBA draft & cheer WVU's Joe Alexander. Cocktail hour (Trent has informed me that vacation is indeed an exception to the 5 o'clock rule) sometimes began at 4 pm & extended through dinner until bedtime. I accidentally bought three pairs of shoes--Yes, when I was deliberating between two pairs on the final night of our trip, I ended up getting both pairs. Later when I was packing to go home, I realized that I had also bought a pair of shoes earlier in the week! I can't begin to justify it, so I won't even try!

RIP Hoagie

2008-07-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

We always had pets growing up . . . dogs, cats . . . the two most memorable were our English sheepdog, Bo Peep, & our miniature schnauzer, Corky. I remember how difficult it was to lose these beloved dogs as they were truly part of the family. Pets enrich our lives in so many ways & give us unconditional love. Today our dear Hoagie passed away. He was Ryan & Renea's yellow lab (& later Owen's too) for nearly thirteen years. I know their hearts are aching tonight. Although I did not used to be a fan of large dogs, this one won my heart immediately with both his playful antics and his sweetness. My first experience as a grandparent was taking care of Hoagie for a weekend--He came complete with three pages of instructions from his parents. Each time I made the trip to Marietta to visit, he greeted me enthusiastically. He often slept with me during my stay & also when he visited here. I know there are many special, lovable dogs out there, but the loss of this particular dog fills me with profound sadness. There is, I guess, a measure of comfort since his illness was sudden, & he did not have to suffer, but it is a huge loss! Hoagie, thanks for the love & joy you provided your family--You will be missed!!!
RIP--I love you!

June 30, 2008

2008-06-30T03:54:00.000-07:00

My dad stated the obvious to me yesterday . . . that today would be a hard day. Today marks the one year anniversary of my mother's death. I don't think time has lessened how much I miss her! However, I do feel a sense of relief as we have navigated through a year of "firsts" without her. I hope that she is proud that my siblings and I have found our way together through these difficult times. Although the big holidays were hard, they were also those that were busy and filled with family and friends. For me the toughest times have been the smaller ones . . . Christmas Eve, Mother's Day, my birthday. It saddens me as I see my sons, grandsons, nieces and nephews experience milestones without her although I have to believe she is in a better place and watching over all of us.

Cold & Hot

2008-06-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we just got back from a mini-vacation to Deep Creek, the new phrase "staycation" comes to mind since most of us only had to travel an hour or so. More about that later though. For now let me say that Ryan, Renea, Owen & I slept on the first floor which was akin to walking into a refrigeration unit at times. Sleeping was not really a problem . . . just get comfy & pull the covers up. Dressing, especially when just getting out of the shower, was another matter though. Brrrr!!! But to me it was worth it to have four bedrooms & plenty of space. The third floor loft of the house was often too hot so I guess one was no worse than the other. Anyway, it was a beautiful home & great to be with everyone. When I walked into my house at home though I was blasted by heat. Yes, it had been rather chilly before we left, & I forgot to turn on the A/C. The thermostat was past 80--clear to as high as it could get! As I type this sweat is pouring off my face as the house has yet to fully cool. Now, of course, I'm longing for the chilly bedroom of Deep Creek! I'll save a vacation recap for another day as I'm now a subscriber to the Kelly Zundell school of vacation unpacking which is "do it immediately!" So I'll brave this heat & go unpack.

Summer Reading

2008-06-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

I like nothing better than curling up on the couch on my deck, sipping a cold drink, and immersing myself in a great book. I usually knock off 10-15 books during the summer & love every minute of it. However, my so-called summer reading began rather unexpectedly on Friday when I thought I would peruse the deposition of Mike Brown, sports agent who represents former WVU coach Rich Rodriquez. Unable to control myself I proceeded to read the deposition in it entirety--over 500 pages. I was not able to comfortably curl up to read this; I had to sit in front of my computer reading & scrolling. But it was riveting! My overall impression after reading this is that Rich Rodriqeuz has certainly picked an unqualified, no-name to guide him through some of the most important decisions of his life. Revelations included the fact that Brown is not an attorney (or even a sports management major) although he pretty much touted himself as an expert in contracts & Rodriquez is the only D1 head coach he has as a client. Well, even though I am a sports nut, I can't imagine why I just couldn't stop reading.

Doggles!

2008-05-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

Well, this just had blog written all over it from the get-go:

A female customer & a male salesman arrived at our office almost simultaneously the other day. I was assisting the customer while the salesman was waiting to see Jeff. Our customer commented to the man about his arrival on a motorcycle which lead to a chat in various other areas. They then began to compare notes about their dogs which prompted the man to pull out his cell phone to show pictures of his dog which were appropriately admired by the customer. They went on to tell each other that their dogs were the only thing each got from their respective ex-spouses in the divorce. The salesman went on and on about living in a motel with his dog for months. Well, all this seemed a little over the top for me, but, friendly girl that I am, I asked the salesman if I could see his picture. First he showed me a photo of his dog attired in a pink skirt & "Biker Babe" t-shirt . . . then he flipped to another picture of the dog in this same outfit riding on his motorcycle with him. In addition to being all decked out in the pink outfit, in this photo the dog was wearing what I was informed were "doggles." Yes, they do make goggles for dogs, which he explained they really need for riding motorcycles. Our customer immediately chimed in that her dog also had doggles, & they continued to talk about this doggie eyewear. (In retrospect I really should have tried to fix these two up!)

At some point I think this man thought I did not do enough gushing over the photos & said "Your not much of an animal lover are you?" My response was, "Yes, I do love animals--I have two cats--I'm just not used to seeing them in clothes." I'm still amazed that a grown man would deck a dog out in a frilly pink outfit with matching doggles for motorcycle riding. Who knew?

2008-05-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

The end of reality . . . last week America's top model was selected along with a Survivor winner. This week is the finals for both "Dancing with the Stars" & "American Idol." The end of reality will probably be the beginning of a little more real life for me as I am rather addicted to these shows!

So I had a few short/sweet emails going with Adam today. I started out by telling him to read Bob Hertzog's Sunday sports column. He shot me back an email stating it's "Hertzell." With that I looked it up & noooo, it's "Hertzel." I quickly pointed out to Adam that we were both wrong. Since he is by nature very competitive, his next 2 or 3 emails were to point out how/why I am more wrong that he is. Eventually, I conceded.

Little boys . . . what could be more fun! Owen loves trains & Webkinz; Drew loves sports & Backyardigans . . . both of them, however, are intrigued by my cats. They look for Tigger & Trevor as soon as they hit the door to my house. I only wish I had been able to capture a video of Trevor today as he took the kids' soccer ball & was entertaining himself by kicking it through the house, then stopping & hiding from it.

My new addiction is zumba. I went into it thinking it would be relatively easy to grasp only to find an overwhelming number of steps & songs. Well, it became a challenge for me & now I hate to miss. I have now become pretty comfortable with the routines & absolutely love it!

Drew is Two

2008-05-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd Birthday, Drew!

Two short years ago we sat in the maternity waiting room in Silver Spring, MD, waiting to meet you . . . and it was truly love at first sight! Getting to watch you grow and change is an amazing experience. You probably don't realize this yet, but you are one lucky boy to have such a large and loving family in your life. Your mom and dad are doing a great job balancing a little indulgence with a lot of boundaries which will help you so much in making choices as you navigate through life. I can only imagine the fun that lies ahead for you as you welcome a brother or sister in a few months. You are indeed a joy and a blessing!

I love you,

Nina

New York call

2008-04-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of months I have been receiving a daily call. On my caller ID it says "New York Call." Naturally, I do not answer. Often these calls come while I'm at work . . . no problem. The caller(s) don't take weekends off, however, & I receive several of these calls on Saturday & Sunday when I find it very annoying to go running for the phone only to find this caller. Years ago I subscribed to the "do not call" list to avoid solicitation, but this protects me only from companies that I do not have an account with (hello, credit card companies & Countrywide Home Loans). It also allows political surveys and apparently solicitation from universities (5 call me). In this age of caller ID I'm amazed that these people find anyone answering the phone. New York can call me till hell freezes over, but I will keep refusing to answer!

Tax Day

2008-04-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

My dad has found some renewed vigor; perhaps it is the warmer weather which promises spring; perhaps it is in his new course of physical therapy . . . I don't know. It is wonderful to see his level of activity increase as well as his joy in feeling so much better! The downside to this, however, is that he is virtually unreachable by phone because he is out & about all the time. This created quite a stressful day for me on April 15th. The problem was compounded by the fact that I have lost my business email access at home & our service provider is providing sketchy service at work. On Monday the 14th I noticed that by the end of the work day I had had no new emails past 9 am . . . usually I have at least 5 every half hour. So when my dad's accountant emailed me about his taxes, I did not get the message until nearly noon on the 15th. I called Dad, & he wasn't home. I tried his cell phone repeatedly . . . no answer. We had until 4:00 to get his checks written, his returns signed, & to get everything mailed. My anxiety increased as I was unable to reach him at 1:00 or 1:30. Finally, he returns my call & tells me he's cutting grass. "Dad, your taxes are due today, & we need to get the checks written," I state. His reply was, "Well, I'm just getting started on the grass." I interrupt to tell him "this has to be a priority!" He reluctantly agrees & tells me he will be at my office soon. He arrives about 3:30 with no time to spare, & I promptly misplace one of the forms that need to be mailed. After a quick search I decide to call the accountant to see if it can just be reproduced. Luckily, it could be, & I sent my dad on his way to get everything signed & mailed at about 3:50. Then I promptly took an Excedrine!

Drew in Third Person

2008-04-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

Drew will be two in less than a month, and his personality has really evolved with his increased vocabulary. I have noticed however, that he talks in third person. Yes, he calls himself "Drew" not "I" or "me." So most of his sentences start with "Drew" followed by an action, i.e. "Drew waiting, Drew calling, Drew helping . . . " In an attempt at humor the other day, my brother asked Drew if he was "looking for trouble." I'm sure Drew had no clue, but he came & got my hand & went to look for the elusive "trouble." We looked under desks, behind doors, inside cabinets until he finally gave up & told me "trouble hiding." Anything that Drew can't locate is usually "hiding." Sometimes I'm not quite sure what he's saying. I used to be able to fake it with a "really" response. Now he will persist until he knows I get it. He was telling me something the other day that I couldn't understand, but he was relentless. Finally, I got it . . . he was asking for raisins & wasn't giving up until I understood & provided them. He is always interesting, always fun!

Zumba

2008-04-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

One thing in my life that has always been easy for me is dancing. I guess spending most of the years of my youth taking dance classes (ballet, toe, tap, & jazz) enabled me to quickly pick up new steps & choreography. So I began taking a zumba class fully expecting it to be easy, or at least easy to learn the steps. Well, I guess my background in dancing did not include any experience with Latin style dancing. Much of my class time is spent watching the instructor & attempting to always be moving in the correct direction so I don't plow into anyone. My problems are compounded by a lack of zumba shoes which allow the feet to slide on the rubberized floor. Well, it has indeed been a humbling experience, but I'm not giving up! I have every intention of mastering this type of dancing since it's a welcome break in the monotony of the track & the treadmill for aerobic exercise.

Winter Wrap-up

2008-04-05T13:33:00.001-07:00

It's supposed to be spring. At least the calendar says so. But April just seems like an extension of a dreary cold March which extended from cold, damp, gray weather beginning in November. I'm not a cold weather person, but I dislike rain & damp cold most of all, so I've had a difficult few months. Although in stating this I risk hearing my sons laugh from miles away, I think I may have a touch of seasonal depression.

February brought a road trip to Nashville for Brooks' senior concert (which was wonderful!) The trip there, however, will now supplant the former "trip from hell" (a night drive through a dense fog in the mountains of Maryland with Adam & Trent). I was driving my dad with plans to stop every couple of hours to stretch & of course, stop for lunch & dinner. My dad needs to each at regular intervals for his diabetes & should walk around frequently. We stopped for lunch after getting through Huntington & proceeded west. Less than an hour later we got a call from Jan & Eddie about a little freezing rain they had encountered in the Lexington area. A few minutes later we hit the freezing rain. I was driving my dad's car & asked him where the defrost was. Well, he wasn't sure. Meanwhile my windshield had frozen solid. I ran the windshield wipers at high speed while he located the defrost. As we are driving along we see wreck after wreck after wreck. The median is littered with vehicles. The interstate going east has been shut down by police. I asked my dad where low or first gear was. Again, he was not sure since he never uses it. He begins to tell me why he prefers neutral. I suggest we stop & wait for the roads to be treated, but my dad says he would prefer to keep going & that if it's making me nervous, he will drive--which would only serve to increase my uneasiness! All of this time we are creeping along with hundreds of others at about 5 MPH with the tires on one side off the road. Finally, I pull of to the side of the road to just take a deep breath & find first gear. My dad thinks he now might like to stop & stretch. We continue to an exit but it is so icy that he finds when he tries to get out of the car that he can't stand up. I suggest getting gas, but my dad doesn't want to get it at BP--the only station off the exit. So we proceed & keep getting these updates from Jan & Eddie that we surely must be out of the freezing rain by now. Meanwhile, we hear on the radio that there have been over 100 accidents in a 5 miles stretch & that the severe weather could continue till noon the next day. Hours & hours later we finally get out of the ice. We are now nearly out of gas--the low fuel light has been on for several minutes. It's way past dinner time, but we don't want to spend any time eating so we stop for gas, snacks & to stretch. The last hour of the time was dense fog & driving rain, but we arrive in Nashville. I had mapquested the directions to the hotel, but dad assured me that Jan would just talk us through it. And she almost did except for one wrong turn. Tired, frustrated, & at the end of my rope, I stopped to ask directions which did not really help much. Finally, Brooks got one the phone with me (he tells me that I was pretty bitchy) & stayed on the line until we arrived at the hotel. Nearly everyone had weather issues--some were unable to get there at all. I don't think five minutes elapsed between putting my bags into my room & getting a glass of wine at the bar! I must say that other than the drive there, we all had a great time!!!

My second trip was our annual "gal pal" at Deep Creek, & we experienced similar weather. Fortunately, we had the option of staying in on Saturday night when the conditions were the worst. A great time with friends just hanging out!

WVU basketball has been fun to watch, both in person & on tv. It was great to go to the Pitt game with Drew & Adam. Drew loves his "hoopies" & clapped like there was no tomorrow. Amazingly, he sat in his seat & took everything in the entire time! And speaking of Drew, one day when I was taking care of him he was fussing when I put him down for a nap. The fussing then became pleading as he called for me. I attempted to stand firm until he said, "Nina, Nina, Nina, Drew CALLING!" Well, of course, I could then no longer resist going into his room.

I took a vacation day & went to Marietta to take Owen to "Horton Hears a Who." When I picked him up I told him I would take him anywhere he wanted to go for lunch--his choice was pizza at the mall food court! We both loved the movie, split a box of popcorn, & played skee-ball at the arcade. Owen amuses me when I ask him a question because he begins to answer me with either a "WELL . . . . or ACTUALLY . . . " Both are really dramatic & followed by a rather large sigh before he proceeds.

For a case of the winter blahs, nothing works better to cheer me up than some time with the grandsons!

Huh?

2008-02-15T05:26:00.000-08:00

We have a customer that we all dread speaking with especially on the phone. She called last week several times, & here is how my first conversation with her went:
Her: "I have car insurance. I need to get house insurance."
Me: "Do you have your auto insurance with us?"
Her: "Huh?"
Me: "Do we insure your cars?"
Her: "Huh? Yes."
Me: "Could I have your name please?"
Her: "Sarah."
Me: "And your last name?"
Her: (She gave it, but I won't reveal it here)
Me: "I need to ask you a few questions about your home. What year was it built?"
Her: "Huh?"
Me: "The year of construction or, if you don't know, your best estimate."
Her: "Huh? Would it be on the title?"
Me: "Oh, is it a mobile home?"
Her: "Yes."
Me: "Well it you have the title handy, I need the year, make, & model."
Her: "The year is 1997 . . . what do you mean by make & model?"
Me: "Well, after the words 'make' and 'model' there will be a name.
Her: "Huh? I don't see any words on the title." (To this, I wanted to say "Huh?")
Me: "We need to do external photographs before we can give you a quote. What area of Morgantown do you live in?"
Her: "Huh?"
Me: "Like Sabraton, Westover, Star City . . . "
Her: "Huh? Just Morgantown."
Me; "Oh, do you live downtown?"
Her: "No."
Me: "Are you in a mobile home park or on an individual lot?"
Her: "Huh? There are three trailers."
Me: "In a park or on individual lots?"
Her: "Huh?"
Me: "Let's try again. What do you live near?"
Her: "Target."
Me: "Ok. Are you on the road to Mylan Park?"
Her: "What's that?"
Me: "It's a park a mile or two from Target."
Her: "Maybe. I live near Target."
Me: (Thinking maybe she's just moved in) " Just how long have you lived there?"
Her: "Seven years."
Me: (Deftly passing the buck) "Let me put Jeff on since he'll be taking your photos. You can give him directions."
Her: "Huh?"

Splayed

2008-02-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

It had to happen. It's been years since I have fallen, & I was kind of overdue. Today's wintry mix included freezing rain which hit at roughly the same time that I needed to go to the bank & post office for work. Our mailman saw me putting on my jacket & cautioned me to be careful, but, headstrong person that I am, I figured I could take care of these errands without much problem. And the bank was easy . . . drive through & pick up the money bag. At the post office I could barely stand up when I stepped outside the car though. Gingerly I walked along the slick sidewalk to the entrance. No problem if I just pay attention & am careful. The office parking lot was like a skating rink as I kept my hands on the car as I walked around it. Easing my self toward the steps & the back door I was rather amazed at how difficult it was to walk. Slowly, cautiously, I descended the icy steps. Relieved & thinking that walking on the stuff was ten times harder than driving on it was, I took a step on the metal grate right outside our back door. Splat! I fell flinging my only partially zipped purse, the mail, the money bag, & my open umbrella. I don't know whether I hit my rear or my knee first, but the only word I could think of to really describe it was "splayed." Fortunately for me there was no one there to witness this, but there was also no one there to help me either. My feeble attempts to stand up were met with more slipping & sliding. Finally I dragged myself to the door, opened it, & threw my things in one at a time. Then I slid my feet instead of picking them up & got inside sore, humiliated, & wondering if this fall would be covered under worker's comp.

Home (Dis)repair

2008-02-10T21:01:00.000-08:00

My house is in chaos . . . first I stripped wallpaper in the kitchen & powder room . . . a long, boring, tedious task! Then before I could get the mess cleaned up, my contractor was ready to paint & install my crown molding so he moved everything from the living room to the basement or kitchen. . . more mess! In addition, I was not crazy about the crown molding (too big & fancy) so I asked him to remove it & redo it. After my few attempts to get these areas cleaned up, the contractor came back to install the bathroom, but we encountered some problems there as well. I didn't like the paint I selected with the color of the new hardwood floor. I wasn't sold on the way the contractor wanted to do the walls, and some supplies needed to do the job were on backorder at 84 Lumber. The bathroom was totally torn out when we discovered it could not be installed for a week . . . a little inconvenient as well as creating yet another pile of stuff in the hallway. It's all beginning to be rather overwhelming, & I'm looking forward to having some order restored any time now. By the way the contractor & his two employees have now seen me if every possible attire but we reached a new low last week when I overslept & greeted them in a robe with a towel wrapped around my wet hair.

Free

2008-02-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

It was either Adam or Kelly (it really doesn't matter since they discussed this & agreed) who told me recently that I liked nothing more than "free." Yes, free stuff does really excite me! So, imagine my glee when I got my second unexpected free meal after tennis. We had returned to Fairmont to meet my friend, Nancy, & her 23 year old daughter, Kim. While we were there, Kim recognized someone in the restaurant & waved. When the waitress came over with our check, she told us that this man had paid for all of our meals. Nothing like dining with a pretty young girl!

2008 so far . . .

2008-01-20T04:38:00.000-08:00

the good, the bad, & the ugly . . .

The Good--Well, 2008 did get off to a better start than 2007. I went to a movie with Jan, Eddie, & Brett, & that the evening was otherwise uneventful is a good thing. New Year's eve last year began for me & my siblings in the corridor of the emergency room.
After tennis the other night, we had our meals paid for by a stranger whom the manager would only identify as the owner of the business across the street--What a great surprise! WVU won the Fiesta Bowl--our rudder-less ship lead by an interim coach & assistants, most of whom were bolting for Michigan afterward. The team dominated from beginning to end providing a really fun atmosphere for us watching with family & friends.

The Bad--Right after the Fiesta I became sick for several days. In fact I was initially too sick to get to the doctor for a prescription for an antibiotic. Ultimately I did drag myself to the doctor &, as I had surmised, needed an antibiotic. I noticed a couple weeks ago that the inspection sticker for my car expired in November . . . I took it to the garage to find it also needed transmission fluid, an oil change, & a tire repair--$176.00!!

The Ugly--When I was home sick & drifting in & out of sleep there seem to always be "breaking news" on Britney Spears--every tidbit more ugly than the previous one. But Britney's actions pale when compared to former Mountaineer coach Rich Rodriquez who has shown himself to be just about the most unscrupulous man on the planet! Both of these dramas make soap operas look like child's play, & there is no end in sight!!!

Happy New Year!

R.I.P

2007-12-04T04:08:00.001-08:00

The Mountaineer offense passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Dec. 1. Their demise was caused by an extended attack by at least eleven panthers that lasted approximately 3-4 hours. Repeated attempts to resuscitate the victim were unsuccessful. Survivors include the Mountaineer defense, a number of grief stricken coaches, and legions of fans. Coroner Richard Rodriquez stated that an autopsy will be performed but the results will not be known until Jan. 2. In a joint press release Ohio State & LSU extended their condolences and expressed their gratitude to the Mountaineer offense for their selflessness and generosity.

The Next Best Thing

2007-11-29T04:29:00.000-08:00

I wonder who thought the bagless vacuum cleaners were the next best great idea? Call me crazy or old-fashioned, but to me it was soooo easy to pluck a bag full of dirt from my vacuum & drop it into the trash. No fuss, no muss. Well, my bagless vacuum has a very small capacity & must be emptied constantly. When I empty it, a cloud of dust envelops creating more dirt for cleaning (not to mention a spree of sneezing). In addition, there are filters to clean & wash. Vacuuming has never been so much work! I'm hoping other consumers will agree with me . . . the only fault I could find with vacuums with bags was the number of different kinds of bags & their availability. I may need to start a one-woman campaign to bring back the bags.

Oops

2007-11-28T18:47:00.000-08:00

I have been watching "Dancing with the Stars" since its inception a few years ago. On every show they refer to the competition for the "Mirabald" trophy. Unfamiliar with ballroom dancing stars, I assumed the award was named for someone who had distinguished him or herself in dance. Imagine my surprise when today I was reading about the finale online. The "Mirabald" trophy is actually something called a mirrored ball trophy--reference being to the mirrored ball adorning the top of it!

Ramblings

2007-11-26T15:32:00.001-08:00

A big WOO HOO to the WVU Mountaineers who are now ranked #2 in the nation!!! A win against Pitt next Saturday would propel WVU into the national championship game in New Orleans.

A few weeks ago at a Mountaineer football game I noticed the kid in front of Trent did not stand for the national anthem. I asked Trent if he thought the kid was protesting. "No," he answered, "did you see what's on his shirt?" Trent then interpreted the "farfrompukin" message on the back of the kid's shirt for me & told me "but I don't think he's that far from puking." The game had just begun when the kid threw up & splashed vomit on the backs of the people in front of him. Swiftly, this kid & his parents left the game. I did my part by screaming for security to come & clean up this mess! Unbelievably, the people who had been hit by the vomit, cleaned up as best they could & stayed for the game. When we got to the game this past Saturday, there was a drunk man immediately behind me. All I could think about while he was slurring his words was the incident of vomiting from a few weeks ago. Luckily, he just had a good time & never did get sick, but it did cause me some anxiety!

This year my sister & I were each to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. I was positive that my sister told me we were baking turkey breasts, not whole turkeys. Since I had only baked a turkey once in my life, I gladly accepted Rachael's offer to do this for me. My dad bought the turkeys so I called Trent & asked him to pick one up from his grandfather. "Please don't let him get it out of the refrigerator," I told him, "it weighs 20 pounds!" Trent proceeded to tell me it was impossible for a turkey breast to weigh 20 pounds & decided to call his Aunt Jan. Well, he was right; it was a whole turkey. So on Thanksgiving day my sons & my nephews had a heyday with my misconception about the 20 pound breasts. The discussion only went downhill from there, but it did provide some fun even though it was at my expense. The turkey was delicious, by the way.

I find it interesting that the SC football team has a quarterback with a last name of "Smelly" & a kicker with a last name that is pronounced "Suckup!" The Mountaineers have two defensive starters with last names of "Dingle" & "Berry." When they stand side by side, those in the stadium with cameras are taking pictures of the "Dingle Berry" on the backs of their uniforms. In addition, the USC quarterback's name is "Booty." I guess it's good that these guys are probably big enough to take on anyone who would mock their names.

I had a call today at work from someone adding a car. She told me it was a "Zulu" (Izuzu) & in giving me the VIN, said "X" as in "Exxon." Unfortunately, this was just one of many really dumb calls today! Nothing like a Monday following a holiday weekend for a huge number of calls.

And a duh moment for me . . . a couple of weeks ago I had a 7pm meeting across town. After work I typically exercise so I tried to cram in a one hour walk at 5:15. I rushed home, took a quick shower, applied make-up & deodorant, got dressed & jumped in the car. I hurried to the meeting location; however when I arrived, the place was dark & there were no other cars. I quickly checked my calendar to find the meeting was the following week! This was hot on the heels of my being fooled by my atomic clock into thinking daylight savings time had ended the last weekend in October. On my way to church I began to suspect that I was an hour behind. A call to Adam confirmed it. Needless to say, I returned home & and successfully avoided the humiliation of pulling up at church just as it was letting out!

Sports Fever

2007-10-16T05:17:00.000-07:00

It's a little time consuming to manage my weekly football activities . . . I play college pickem, pro pickem & have a fantasy team. Well, I started out my college picks with a bang! I was even perfect one week!! It all went south for me though when my Mountaineers lost to USF. I had put a huge amount of confidence points on WVU & slipped from first to fourth for the week. I have pretty much stayed there since. The pro teams for me are a crap shoot--the only thing predictable is that bad teams will beat good teams, but it's hard to tell which week that will happen. And my fantasy team . . . my starting quarterback, Drew Brees, was giving me nothing. After doing really well last year, he was struggling. Finally, I picked up a better backup QB, Jeff Garcia, & started him. He's done alright, but I still was hoping for stellar. So last week I dumped Drew Brees in favor of Kurt Warner. With Matt Leinart injured I thought Kurt would seize the opportunity & go crazy passing the ball. I decide to start Kurt instead of Jeff Garcia (who had 21 points while on my bench last Sunday) all the while thinking I have cleverly manipulated my lineup & have quite a "find" in Warner. Well, he got ZERO points for me this week!! In my two years of playing fantasy football I cannot recall any starting quarterback getting zero points. Yes, he got injured, but still. And who did finally go crazy & have a great game? Drew Brees!!! So this morning I'm dropping Warner & picking up Brees which probably means that Warner will have the game of his life next week & Brees will revert to mediocrity. I think I'm beginning to understand that I'm not quite as crafty as I thought when it comes to making the right moves.

So add to the above tracking Jay's football games via text messages every Saturday, tracking Brett's soccer via the internet & phone calls, as well as checking on Adam's FSU games via stat tracker intermittently. Of course there are WVU games to attend and games to watch on tv. And Adam's soccer podcasts as well as the Brothers in 3-Z to listen to weekly. If it wasn't so much fun, it would wear me out!

Let Us Pray?

2007-10-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

Our church service this past week didn't get off to a good start. Our bell choir was to ring during the prelude which was inadvertently skipped over by the liturgist. We were to ring when the liturgist said "Let us worship God;" however, she said, "Let's us pray," so instead we prayed. Thus began a rather comedic service that went from bad to worse.

Sunday church service usually provides me with some time of reflection & spiritual renewal. Often an insightful or inspiring sermon will stay in my mind during the upcoming week. This past Sunday was totally different. Our church is now looking to replace our minister of eight years--one whose presence in the pulpit was both inspiring and a source of comfort for me. We now have the revolving door of ministers while the search is on. Some are good; some are not. Yesterday's minister, however, was beyond terrible causing many of us to wonder, what, if anything, she was trying to convey to us. Her sermon was peppered with long pauses . . . at first, I thought this was perhaps for dramatic effect. As it unfolded though, it seemed these pauses were more that she had either lost her place in her notes or lost her train of thought. They became increasingly frequent as she continued. At some point after she had told an extremely long antedote, she put her hands up to her face & stated, "I don't know why I told that story!" (Duh, neither do we!) I struggled to stay awake & could not tell you anything about her sermon topic. It all became quite laughable as one of my friends noted that the Zundell boys (yes, they are great with the witty comments) would have had a heyday! When mercifully she finally concluded her sermon, she moved on to communion, & I believe we collectively thought that at least we would have this spiritual experience to take from the service. But this was not to be as she "winged" through the Eucharist, not just changing words or phrases, but changing entire paragraphs making it nearly impossible to follow along. The communion was served, but she neglected to serve the elders who had been at the various stations with the bread & wine. Church begins at 10:45 & generally concludes a hour or so later. Sunday I glanced at my watch as I was leaving what felt like a marathon service to find that it was nearly 12:30! When we were on the sidewalk after church & the jokes were flying as if we had just left a comedy club, we were joined by a member who looked absolutely worn out from the nearly two hour ordeal--I guess it could have been worse; he had been volunteering in the nursery!

The Workplace

2007-10-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, the workplace, where I spend so many of my waking hours each day. The place where I'm becoming worn out by busy work heaped on me by one of our companies, stupid questions from customers, & a workspace that is in need of a make-over. In addition, there have been problems with the fax machine, printer, scanner, & computers this week. Frustration? Oh, yeah! Fortunately, we have so many strange/stupid interactions with customers that we always have something to laugh about.

This week, the first of the month, has brought forth the usual cast of characters (those who refuse to mail in their payments or go on automatic debit). We have had the man who is so loud we often have a headache when he leaves . . . when he's not talking in his "outside" voice, he's giggling like a hyena. The short (almost can't see her over the counter) woman who has entralled us with details of beating up her female lover & being arrested for battery. The part-Cherokee man who is not licensed to drive--his wife drives him around in a big purple pickup truck--who always is getting ready for a pow wow somewhere & who always has some inside information about gas prices.

We have often thought of secretly compiling a top ten list of the dumbest customers . . . It would be a hot contest! I recently asked a customer (who was reporting a claim) what the circumstances of the accident were. "Huh?" she said. So I rephrased, "how did the accident happen?" She replied, "I don't know." I responded, "Were the police called?" thinking that the details could be found in the police report. "Huh?" she said. She cannot top, however, the guy who let a girl he met in a bar test drive the car he was hoping to sell . . . he never saw the girl or the car again!

So I guess it's good that the crazy, the unusual, the downright stupid daily interactions provide us with something to laugh about. . . at least it is never boring.

Food for thought

2007-09-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

It is not in my nature to eat a lot of red meat, and heaven help me, never bacon; however, this week I have embarked on phase one of the "Cheat to Lose" diet. Week 1 is low carb, so hello steak! Since I'm probably addicted to carbs, the first two days were a little rough, but day 3 has been much better. During the first couple of days, I found myself staring longingly at a can of toddler veggie "puffs." How desperate was I! My great treat has been my chocolate calcium chewable which is twice daily. Things begin to look up after the first week as some new foods can be added. After 3 weeks we get into a routine of a "cheater" day on Saturday when anything goes. I guess the prospect of that will sustain me for now.

Ok. Week 2, 5 pounds of ugly fat GONE! It's become increasingly easier as I adjust to the portions & the protein since I get to add in a few more foods. I can now actually eat a restaurant meal & not feel deprived. I have discovered a delicious sugar free ice cream & have to keep reminding myself that a serving is 1/2 cup. Suddenly I realize that if I had been more vigilant about portion size, I probably wouldn't have any weight to lose. I am an adult still wanting to eat like the teenager I once was . . . the one who could literally stuff herself without ever reaching a three digit weight. Ah, if only I could bring back the days of a quick metabolism!!

Surprise

2007-09-12T04:46:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday night a group of my close friends surprised me with a dinner get-together in honor of my birthday. The food, wine, & laughter certainly took the edge off my feeling of impending gloom regarding my upcoming birthday. Known for being rather obtuse & unobservant, I was there for at least a half hour (several of us were engrossed in watching Roger Federer play his championship match in the US Open) before I realized that this gathering was for me! Several glasses of wine later, this birthday thing didn't seem quite so bad. It has been said that friends are the family you choose, & indeed I have chosen well!

Drew

2007-09-11T05:40:00.001-07:00

What could be better than watching WVU play football on a Saturday afternoon? Spending the day with Drew! While others were lamenting the sluggish first half of WVU vs. Marshall, Drew & I were playing. The simple joys for a 16 month old . . . petting a cat, laughing along as I sang silly songs, pouring a bucket of water over his head in the pool . . . are life affirming. Occasionally I would receive a surprise kiss or hug. . . a true bonus! Drew quite considerately napped during most of the second half, & as it turned out, the only part of the game worth watching. But I would gladly have skipped the whole thing for a day with this precious little boy!

Minnie Mouse

2007-09-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

As a sophomore in high school we had our yearbook photos taken in one shot. No time to pose or smile or get ready in any way, just a quick flash. The selection of poses was reserved for upperclassmen. Needless to say, I had an unforgetable yearbook photo my sophomore year. In fact one of my close friends (a really cute guy) told me that I looked like Minnie Mouse in my picture . . . which was unfortunately quite true! He proceeded to call me "Minnie" for the rest of the school year.

Well, I always remember this when getting a new picture taken for my driver's license. Through the years I have always taken time to prepare for this photo since I will have to live with the results for five years. I like to go before work with shining clean hair & make-up intact. I have even gone so far as to practice a sort of half-smile in the mirror. So far, however, this has not worked well for me, & the results have been an increasingly older version of Minnie Mouse. No matter how much preparation & preening I would do, my license photo was always a disaster!

One afternoon last week when I was at work, I suddenly realized that I had not renewed my driver's license, & it would expire the following day. I leapt from my desk, raced home to get the form, & raced to the DMV to get there before it closed at 4:30. I ran in rather breathless at 4:20 & realized I had not completed the form. I did some speed reading & whipped through the questions in record time. At 4:25 I needed only to be fingerprinted & photographed. It dawned on me that I probably couldn't look much worse after a full day of work plus racing to the DMV, but I knew I had no time to do anything about it. Five minutes later I walked to my car & braced myself for what I feared might be a photo even worse than my prior ones. Amazingly, this photo was completely normal . . . not that I would care to enter it in a photo contest, but I looked just like a regular person. Goodbye, Minnie Mouse, at least for the next five years!

Disturbing Ads

2007-08-28T04:49:00.000-07:00

Recently I have noticed a cell phone ad for "back to school" for a phone that plays music, has a camera, etc. It doesn't seem to be targeted to college students who logically may be in the market for a phone if they are going away. I find it amusing that a "back to school" need for teens & preteens is not notebooks, clothes, or even a computer but instead an phone!

Something called RLS (restless leg syndrome) has also caught my attention due to the ad. First, is this a new malady . . . I've never heard of it. However, in my opinion, the syndrome seems to be less troublesome than the potential side effects of the medication which include, but are not limited to, unusual gambling or sexual urges!

Since the potential side effects of all medication is required to be included in all advertising, it seems very scary to have anything prescribed! With the exception of the most dire conditions, it seems to me that the risks may often outweigh the benefits.

Ads have been running fairly often on MTV for safe sex. They show a couple about to hook up when the girl abruptly turns down the guy & lectures him on what he's missing out on for not planning to wear a condom. Well, I'm all for safe sex & getting the message out to kids, but this couple seems to have just met. There is no committed relationship which is perhaps going to the next level, but instead a couple of relative strangers . . . I'm not sure that is the message that should be delivered!

The car salesmen (yes, those in the ads are all men) seem to believe that the best way to get the viewer's attention is to yell. Personally, I can't get to the mute button fast enough! There is one local car dealer whose ego seems to be way beyond a normal state of self-confidence. His name is Larry. He wishes viewers a "Larry Christmas" in the winter. He refers to the interstate exit for his dealership as the "Larry Exit." Ironically, at the end of his most recent commercial he urges potential customers to come to his place of business where "IT"S ALL ABOUT you." Yes, the "you" is almost inaudible in this commercial. It actually seems difficult for him to say. I'm not buying it, Larry. . . you haven't fooled me . . . because it's really all about you!

Nina needs a nap!

2007-08-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

I am becoming increasingly aware that a 50 something woman cannot come near matching the energy level of an exuberant just-turned-four year old boy. This past weekend I picked up my grandson, Owen, somewhere halfway between Marietta, OH & Fairmont, WV. On the way home we stopped at a John Deere tractor lot. There must have been several hundred tractors on the lot, and I believe Owen sat on nearly every one. Always the negotiator he told me that if I would buy him one he could mow my grass. Relying on his love of pizza, I finally convinced him to leave John Deere for lunch with Uncle Adam, Aunt Kelly, and cousin Drew at Pizza Hut.

After lunch we went home to play cats, dogs, race cars, & trains. Owen is at the age where he really can get by without a nap if he gets to bed early; however, his mother suggested that he take a nap at least one of the two days he was visiting me. Around 1:30 I said, "Owen, let's go take a nap." "I don't NEED a nap!" he replied. I attempted to convince him with "Owen, Nina will take a nap with you." His response again was "I don't NEED a nap!" "Well, Owen, you may be right," I answered, "but NINA needs a nap." He feel asleep first, but I slept the longest. Upon waking up we played once more, visited his greatgrandfather where he drove a golf cart & feed a pond full of fish, then went to "Valley Worlds of Fun" amusement park where we rode rides, played mini golf, & had a picnic supper. We ended the day with ice cream on the deck before bed. Both of us were in bed a little after 8 pm.

Saturday morning we were up early playing with the cats as well as racing cars. We left for lunch with Uncle Trent & Aunt Rachael & a visit with their pets. After lunch Rachael suggested that Owen might like the Exotic Jungle pet store, & she was so right! Owen capped off his visit with holding two baby corn snakes . . . Yes, both Nina & Uncle Trent were afraid of the snakes! We retured home & have pretty much the same conversation regarding a nap. Undaunted, I again explain that Nina needs a nap. Owen appeases me once more, & we sleep. After dinner we have visitors. Fortunately, my nephew, Brooks, had plenty of energy to chase Owen around so they had a great time! We go for Frostys on the deck before bath & bed.

Sunday we drive back to the halfway place to return him to his parents. We chat about convertibles & semis as well as the activities of the weekend. He is munching goldfish & talking non-stop in my rearview mirror. My ride back to Fairmont is very quiet . . . I miss that little bundle of energy already!

Insomniac

2007-08-14T20:34:00.000-07:00

Sleep has always come easily for me. Just ask any of my family or friends who will tell you that I often cannot control the urge to sleep . . . I believe I'm a little narcoleptic. It has always seemed strange to me that there are actually people who have trouble sleeping. Before the past few months, this was quite a foreign concept.

Recently, though, I have had trouble sleeping. Not falling asleep . . . nothing has changed there . . . just STAYING asleep. I wake up after a couple of hours & cannot get back to sleep. Sometimes I prowl around & clean up the kitchen or throw in a load of laundry. Other times I have gone out to sit on my deck with a glass of wine in the middle of the night. I've now decided that I should stay in bed so I have become somewhat of an expert on late night (or overnight) tv. I can find Oprah at 1 am & Ellen at 3 am. "Larry King" is rerun at midnight. Did you know that there are late-late talk shows on after Conan O'Brien & Craig Ferguson? I can tell you how to make a killing in real estate or lose weight 100 different ways. I know all about acne, make-up, hair stylers & vacuum cleaners. I've seen more "Cosby" & "Cheers" than I imagined possible. I've seen "Bridzillas" & "Platinum Weddings" over & over again. As intriguing as this graveyard shift tv is, I just want a whole night's sleep!

Happy Birthday, Owen Mark!

2007-08-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

Just four short years ago we spent what seemed like an eternity in the hospital waiting for your arrival. You are the first of what I hope will be many grandchildren to love and enjoy. We have already had so many good times together . . . it is so much fun to sometimes have you one-on-one at my house or yours. You continue to amaze & delight me with each new phase of your development & growth. Have a great birthday, Owen!
Love,
Nina

Oak Island

2007-07-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

Reflections on the beach . . .
1) I successfully avoided my night to cook by taking everyone out for a seafood buffet.
2) Although I got a hint of this over the holidays, my daughter-in-law, Rachael, has emerged as quite a game player.
3) Who needs an alarm clock with a 1 year old & 3 1/2 year old? Both boys were awake around 6am!
4) A little boy will imitate a bigger little boy doing just about anything.
5) My grandson Owen's best comment on vacation, "Let's make some friends!"
6) My son Trent's best comment on vacation in response to Owen's constant questions about turning on a microphone for him. "Owen, if anyone ever DID NOT need a microphone, it's you!"
7) Little Drew will come right to anyone who's eating anything hoping for a bite.
8) We all really enjoyed the cooking of my daughters-in-law, Kelly & Rachael, & son, Ryan, who provided several delicious meals. The rest of us were happy to do KP.
9) Grandson learning curve--Owen learned to swim & Drew learned to catch a ball.
10) Who knew I'd love pineapple vodka?
11) There are more ice cream shops on Oak Island than any other business.
12) It was interesting to see the line-up of 7 cell phones in various stages of charging.
13) The ocean is always an awesome & peaceful place for me. It was easy to close my eyes at night knowing I had my children & grandchildren with me.

Mom

2007-07-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

It doesn't seem right to blog about the mundane while my heart is still breaking. My mom passed away on June 30 at the age of 85. She was a wonderful woman who lived well and was loved by many. This does give me some comfort, but she left a void in my life and my heart that may never be filled. I will miss her every day! Rest in peace, Mom. Your love lives on in us.

Summer so far

2007-06-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

While flipping through my tv channels this evening, I found a show "Honey, We're Killing the Kids," which for some reason I thought was a Disney movie. Upon closer examination I found a couple with 2 young sons whose eating habits were atrocious! The host did a computer projection that showed how the boys would look at 40 if they continued to eat the way they did. Oddly enough, the parents (both of whom were large) were actually shocked!

I have returned this week from a relaxing girlfriends week in St. Augustine, Florida. Everyone should have a week like this . . . totally without responsibilities! Yes, at the beach it was always 5 o'clock somewhere as we enjoyed our wine, beer, & margaritas! I ate too much, drank too much, & spent a ridiculous amount of money on a great pair of shoes. . . but it was all worth it!
Fortunately, I have another vacation to look forward to--a week at the beach in July with my family.

Before leaving for Florida I got to spend two days watching my adorable one year old grandson, Drew. He is learning something new every day & quickly outgrowing the "baby" things, i.e. bottles, binkies, jars of baby food. Yes, I fed him a ham sandwich as well as regular fruit & veggies. He was sooooo much fun!!! This Friday I will go to Ohio to babysit my 3 1/2 year old, equally adorable grandson, Owen. He is always just a bundle of energy & makes some of the most interesting remarks. It should be a lively weekend filled with fun & activity!!!

Chillin'

2007-05-31T05:46:00.000-07:00

As I sat in my pajamas on my deck at 6:30 a.m. drinking my coffee & enjoying the sunshine, I wondered what it would be like to just stay put & relax. A day to just chill . . . hmm . . . those days just rarely come along as there is always something that needs my attention. It would be nice just to take a day off to do nothing & not feel the guilt of being non-productive. I need to get ready for work, however, especially since there is a sales contest going on involving money. Of course I'm all over that being both competitive & money-loving. I'm onboard for the "mental health" days some companies actually require employees to take regularly . . . I can't imagine anything more rejuvenating!

Catching Up

2007-05-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Although I thought it was an exaggeration, many people told me that DVR would change my life. My son, Trent echoed this same sentiment in his blog. Actually, it is true! I usually watch very little tv during the warm weather months, but in the winter, I am addicted. No more hurrying home to catch a show! No more thinking & remembering to record! My DVR is smarter than me & after programming my favorites to record all new episodes, I can just relax & forget about it. It's great to whip through the shows commercial-free especially American Idol & Dancing with the Stars when all I really want to see are the competitors & the judges comments. It may have been my smartest tactical move when I traded my $65/month Verizon phone service for the $25/month Time-Warner so that I could afford DVR & HD!!!

When I see something I really want, I am like a dog with a bone. I had been looking for deck furniture for about two years now & could not find anything I really liked that I could afford. Last Sunday while buying some flowers at Wal-Mart, I found a sectional with two ottomans/tables that I loved. After some looking, thinking, & sitting on the furniture, I decided to buy it. When I asked the clerk about delivery, I was told they did not have a delivery service. I checked out the enormous box the furniture came in & decided I would have to keep looking. I did think about the furniture all night & again the next day; then I discussed it with Trent & Rachael. They thought I might be able to have the guys at Wal-Mart put it into a pickup in the box; then I could unload it piece by piece. Trent was leaving for Texas the next day but offered to help anyway. Knowing he had lots of things to do to get ready, I decided to get it myself. Yes, I could have waited & asked my son, Adam, or my nephews to help, but I was determined to have the furniture immediately. I borrowed my dad's pickup & drove to the store to buy the furniture. When it was going to take three guys plus a fork lift to get the box into the pickup, I talked the guys into opening the box & loading the pieces individually. When I got the furniture home, I unloaded it easily by myself until I got to the last piece--the ottoman/table. The ottoman makes a table when the cushion is removed & a large metal tray covers the slats. Unfortunately for me I did not realize this tray was not attached to the ottoman. It fell on my foot as I was lifting the ottoman from the truck. I fear I have broken a bone in my foot as it is quite painful as well as swollen & purple. Right now I can only wear Birkenstocks or running shoes. The furniture looks great on the deck though!

Babies no more . . . My one year old grandson, Drew got a haircut & stopped drinking a bottle. I received some pictures of
3 1/2 year old grandson, Owen, riding a two-wheel bike.

Random topics

2007-05-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

Escape . . .
One of my favorite songs right now is Gwen Stefani's "Sweet Escape." I had this experience myself last Saturday as I called the hospital & checked in with my mom then ditched my weekend cleaning/laundry chores & headed to Morgantown to visit my son, Adam, & grandson, Drew. Seeing life through the eyes of a one year old is an awesome experience as we went for a "walk" (Drew stopped every few feet to investigate something or just took off running) on the trail. The most mundane things were quite a source of fascination for Drew . . . rocks, weeds, flowers. We encountered a dog & his owner much to Drew's delight as he pointed & said "dog" over & over. Nothing much compares to reading to & rocking a freshly bathed, sweet smelling baby at day's end, but the steaks Adam grilled for us & his dessert coffee were a very close second!

My father's daughter?
I have taken alot of chiding from my family for always wanting to order last at a restaurant. Upon really thinking about it, I guess I always want to know what everyone else is ordering just in case something sounds better that what I had planned to order. My dad does this too or orders first & then either changes his order or spends time lamenting about what he didn't order & someone else did.
This week I have been dealing with hiring someone to help out at my parents' house. First, I asked my dad if he wanted to interview people with me. He said "no, she doesn't have to please me, you should take her to meet your mother at the hospital." Okay, I find someone & offer to take her to the hospital; however, my dad has now decided that I should just interview her on my own. I'm fine with that, but about five minutes before I am to leave & meet her at a coffee shop, my dad calls & says, "why don't you just meet her here at the house?" I explain to him that it's too late to change the plans & that I'll call him afterwards. I ask the caregiver if she can start the following day, & she agrees. The next day my mom has health complications & cannot be released. I call the caregiver to cancel & explain that hopefully she'll be released tomorrow. We agree that I will call her as soon as I know something. In the meantime, my mom does get the green light for release the following day, & my dad has a plan that the caregiver should come with him to help get my mom home. After two phone calls from my dad, we decide on a time, & I call the caregiver on my way home from work. When I arrive home I already have a message from my dad who has decided it would not be a good idea to have the caregiver go the the hospital. He wants me to call & arrange for her to come later--not a specific time later--but to kind of be "on call." I balk at that fearing that she would soon lose interest in a bunch of loonies who couldn't seem to make a simple decision. I told him I would come meet her at the house at the arranged time (10 am) & we could just stay there while he picked mom up. Additionally, I had told him I would pick up some basic groceries on my way there. At 9 am Dad calls "what are you doing?" I tell him I was just leaving for the grocery store & would be at his house in about 45 minutes to meet the caregiver. He agrees that this is fine, & we hang up. While I'm in the grocery store, he calls again while I am on the line with the caregiver going over directions to the house. I call him back while checking out to find that he thinks my sister should go the the grocery store. I then told him the shopping was finished, & I would be there in 10 minutes. I know he's not being difficult, he's just being himself--there's always a better plan running through his mind at the last minute!

Baby Idol . . .
Well, WVAQ, you really missed the boat on this one. Not only did you miss out of the adorable Drew for the top ten, but you also missed a fantastic opportunites for hits on your website from the friends & families of the over 1000 entrants! What were you thinking!!!

Tongue tied . . .
There is a guy, Bob Dick, who sells ads to the "Big Book" (an oversized phone book) & contacts our office frequently. Try as I might I can't keep from getting these things confused & calling the man "Big Dick!"

One more car . . .
Finally, add this car to the list of ones the owners can't pronounce. This week a woman called to delete her Dodge "Decrepit." (Intrepid)

Memories

2007-05-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

Not for the faint of heart is this stroll down memory lane. I have been picking through family photos for a potential gift & was able to enjoy & laugh until tonight. Suddenly, while I am also choosing music, I have become sad & teary. It is so true . . . time is fleeting!

BK

2007-05-09T04:52:00.000-07:00

I am so over Burger King. After getting my "order" (unsweetened iced tea only) wrong twice last week, I realized there's no real reason to go there anymore. After all I just went there for the potential refills. I have now moved on. There's a McDonald's down the street that has tea for the same price although the do not have self-serve drinks. They do, however, seem to know the difference between unsweetened tea & sweetened tea. I am now a patron of the golden arches!

Happy Birthday

2007-05-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

Happy first birthday, Drew! It has been a year of love & laughter . . . wishing you a world filled with happiness today & always!
I love you,
Nina

Weekend Woes

2007-05-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

Ground Hog's Day . . .
Yesterday while mowing my back yard I spotted a HUGE ground hog standing beside my storage shed. I assumed my mower running at full speed would be my protection as I attempted to point it at him while staring him down. Unperturbed, he stared back. I began to get rather skittish when he stuffed his large body under the shed. Fortunately I had already mowed in that area because I became afraid to go near the shed. When I finished mowing I was too scared to put the mower back into the shed & instead put it in my garage. It has occurred to me, however, that both my gas & my oil for the mower are still in the shed. Hopefully one of my sons will come check it out for me before I need to mow again.

Crisis Averted . . .
While Ryan, Renea, Owen, & Rachael were visiting this weekend, we were discussing our beach vacation. I pulled out the beach info only to find that my contract had the wrong week on it!!! Of course I had already made a deposit of 50% so I was rather undone. I called the rental office which, naturally, was closed but would reopen Sunday at 8 am. I couldn't get to the phone fast enough on Sunday & was told that I was probably stuck since the my deposit had already been sent to the owner. I expressed that it was good that I had purhased trip insurance & was told that this circumstance would not be covered. It was suggested that I call on Monday & speak to the manager. So today I did call & was pleasantly surprised to find that the agent who had booked the condo admitted that it was her mistake & was willing to help me work something else out. She emailed me 5 other places to check out & was very accomodating. I did find another place in the same complex . . . ocean view, not ocean front . . . but otherwise nice & clean with the same ammenities. I can only imagine the snafu we might have had if we hadn't had a conversation about vacation Saturday evening & had instead just shown up on the wrong date!

Disconnected

2007-04-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I read my son Trent's blog about the problems he was having getting a satellite dish installed. All those phone calls & so much frustration made me really feel his pain!

Well, I may not be able to top Trent's story, but I certainly can add my own tale of woe. Several weeks ago I placed a call to Time Warner to see what it would cost to have phone service. I pay an average of $60 a month to Verizon so I was thrilled when I was told that Time Warner phone service was only $25 a month with unlimited long distance. Sensing immediately that I would be saving $35 per month, I then inquired about adding DVR & high def to my current "bundle." All together my monthly bill would be $129 for all these services. Since I currently pay $103 for cable in addition to my $60 phone bill, I jumped on this with both feet. I was told, however, that I would have to wait 3 weeks for a service call to install. I scheduled an appointment for April 11. The gave me a "window" of 10-12 for installation.

The day before my scheduled installation I called Time Warner to confirm the appointment & to be sure they had my office & cell phone numbers. I explained that I worked 10-15 minutes from my home & asked if the technician would call when he was starting for my house. The CSR I spoke with told me we were all set. On the day of the appointment no one had called me by 11:20 so I decided to go home to wait for the technician. When I got home I found a phone message from the man who was to do the installation stating that he was on my front porch, & no one was home. I then called the company & was told that they do not call ahead & that I must be home for the entire 2 hour window to let the technician in. I explained that I had called the day before to give my phone numbers & was not told that calling would not be an option. Although the CSR apologized he explained that he was in Denver & could do nothing but reschedule. I got an appointment for 2 days later (Friday) with a window of 8-10.

Thursday morning my brother asked me if I could take my dad to the doctor for a 9 am appointment. I told him I would call Time Warner & see if I could change my installation time. Upon calling the company I was told that they need 72 hours notice to change to another time on the same day. The best they could do was to cancel & reschedule for the following week. Of course my dad's appointment took precedence over my cable/phone installation, so I cancelled & rescheduled for Monday.

Later on Thursday I was driving home from work & stuck in a large line of traffic. I decided to call my house & retrieve my messages. I got a message that my phone had been disconnected! I then called my brother to confirm my dad's appointment time & to tell him that if he needed to reach me he would have to call my cell phone. He did call my cell later to tell me that Dad had been confused & his appointment was actually for 12:30--I could actually have kept my cable appointment! So, I am disconnected for the weekend. Hopefully, my service can & will resume on Monday.

Quick Update

2007-04-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, I admit it. I have been shamelessly lurking on both the Rivals & Scout message boards for news on Coach Beilein for the past few days. Yes, it had become an addiction. I could hardly tear myself away for fear of missing late-breaking news. I have my favorite sources on the Scout boards--Mexman & Eerhole. They seem to be spot on with inside information--none of which during the past few days has been positive. I realized that I had become rather obsessed when I began quoting them to the Progressive rep who was in our office today. Although the Beilein drama is now over, I now find myself enmeshed in the questions/theories on the coaching search, potential loss of players & recruits, etc. I really do have too much going on to be so involved, but it's irresistible to me right now.

I know my son, Adam, does not care for Joakim Noah of Florida basketball fame; however, I always kind of liked him for staying in school out of loyalty to his teammates. I loved him, however, on Monday night when Florida won the national championship, & he went climbing up through the crowd to hug his mom & share the moment with her.

The Burger King near my office now has 2 large new signs with their refill policy for drinks. I'll just call them the Starrett/Zundell memorial posters & let it go at that. The new manager there is reminiscent of the "Soup Nazi" from Seinfield.

Miscellaneous

2007-03-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

Is it me or do you need to be an interpreter to work with the public? In our insurance agency, we could compile a hilarious list of mispronunciations of car names. For example, a customer called to delete his "Tota" & add a Mercury "Stable." He was indeed the second customer to call this car a "Stable" rather than a "Sable;" however, the "Tota" for "Toyota" was a definite first. Another customer called about her Ford "Expire" which is certainly an unflatering version of "Aspire." One of our insureds had several conversations about her Mercury "Mesquite" (Mystique) which was also called "Mystic" by another customer. We have had a number of versions of Hyundai with my favorite being hy-YOOON-die. References to having an insurance policy "shut off" as if it were a utility is also amusing. Then, of course, there is the ever popular plural reference to a driver's license, i.e., "I have to get 'them' renewed or 'they've' expired." And I always enjoy someone calling for a "quota" (quote) for insurance.

Iced Tea Recap: Well, I am going to write or call corporate headquarters at BK about our iced tea. Really, if drive-thru customers may not refill, shouldn't the price be lower? Are we expected to subsidize all the dine-in patrons with their multiple refills?

Bring on Nancy & Jill--At the NIT quarterfinals Nancy & I got caught inadvertently behind he Mountaineer basketball team huddle. When the rifle was fired, the band struck up the fight song, & the team was announced . . . "Let's bring on the Mountaineers" . . . Nancy & I were practically on the court behind the players & coaching staff! A WVU staffer was working diligently to roll out the carpet stopping & starting between us as we tried to find the aisle on the floor to get back to our seats.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

2007-02-19T15:03:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's hard to be good or do good. I seldom spend a whole day trying to be good or do good things, so when I do try I guess I expect the universe to recognize this attempt & support me. This Sunday after braving the ice & snow to go to choir & church, I delivered some homemade cookies & brownies to my nephew Jay who was driving back to school. Since I had offered to drive another nephew, Brooks, to the airport in Pittsburgh, I hurriedly went to fill my car up with gas. I stepped right out of my car into a huge mud puddle that totally covered both of my suede (& only) boots. Frustrated I proceeded to pump my gas & accidentally touched my car with my cream colored corduroy pants & got a huge black mark on them. I went home to change my pants & hopefully dry my boots. I threw my boots in the clothes dryer & my pants in the washer, then got a quick bite to eat. I did manage to get my boots fairly dry & put them on & prepared to leave. I was going to visit my parents & write checks for their bills before we needed to leave for Pittsburgh. Grabbing my coat I (fortunately) noticed that one of the cats had thrown up on it. GEEZ! So I quickly throw my coat in the washer, my pants in the dryer, grab another coat & leave for my parents house to pay their bills before picking up Brooks.

Brooks & I leave a little early for Pittsburgh due to weather concerns & have a nice chance to visit during our trip. On the way I find that I have exhausted my windshield wiper fluid so we stop near the airport so that I can buy some. Brooks puts it in for me & fills it to the gills: however, it won't come out to wash my windshield. After dropping him off at the airport I decide to run my windshield defrost hoping that my frozen fluid will begin working, but that doesn't help. I have to stop several times to wash off my windshield. It is now dark, snowy, icy, & it would be difficult to see even with a clean windshield.

Finally I arrived home safe & relatively sound but feeling I deserved an easier time in a day I was just trying to be helpful!

Real Life

2007-02-14T04:47:00.000-08:00

The recent news is giving credibility to the shows of both Jerry Springer & Maury Povich. There was a time when their guests & topics seemed absurd; however, our news is currently filled with such absurdity.

Anna Nicole Smith's recent death has brought forth at least three additional men who claim they are/could be the father of her baby. I have to believe that if her companion, Howard K. Stern, were actually the father, he would have already taken a DNA test. Not only are there several claiming paternity, but also, there is a fight over her burial.

Last week we had the astronaut who drove cross country in Depends to confront & possibly kill her rival. This seemed to captivate the attention of many since it is believed that astronauts are among the best & brightest in this country.

Of course the antics of Brittney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan are always front & center news. Understandably, Paris needs this kind of press since she is famous only for these types of activities. Brittney & Lindsey, however, did have careers which, in my opinion, are not served well by this kind of publicity.

Today we have the father who assaulted his son's wrestling opponent on the mat after his son was pinned. Whoa! He is making the soccer moms look really good.

Jerry, Maury, you have only to turn on CNN to line up your next guests!

Car Escapades

2007-02-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I decided it had finally become warm enough to rinse my filthy car off. I had applied Windex to all my windows in an effort to be able to see while driving, but my car has had to be parked on the street at work several times lately & became disgustingly dirty. Well, I went to the touchless automatic car wash & paid for the basic wash. After fighting to get each of my dollars inserted & accepted, at long last I received the message to drive into the carwash. The door was down so I assumed someone else was in there. After waiting several minutes I realized that no one was inside & the door was not going to open. So I pushed the "refund" button; however no refund came out of the machine. I pushed this button several times to no avail. Amazingly, the door suddenly came up, & I started to drive in. It dawned on me while I was driving forward that no instructional lights were on, such as "DRIVE FORWARD." I became rather panicked at the thought of driving in & having the door close permantly behind me--a claustrophobic's worst nightmare! So I left after taking down a phone number on the building to call & attempt to get my money back.

On my way to work this morning I went to the drive-thru at my bank. After exiting & before I could get my window up, a huge truck zipped by me splashing water in through my window. No only did I have mud spattered on my car & my jacket, but also I had several huge spots of mud on my face. I continue driving to work trying to dab at the mud on my face with my gloves. By the time I got to work I had only succeeded in spreading the mud out & looking like I had just returned from a round in the mud wrestling pit. Before I went into my office, I sat in the back parking lot with tissues & hand sanitizer & removed the mud from my face. What a way to start the day!