Surprise

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

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

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

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!

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

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!

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

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

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

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'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.