Quick Hits

How did Maurice Clarett & Marcus Vick become such egomaniacs that they feel they can continuously break the law without consequences? It's bad enough that some professional athletes have adopted this behavior, but at least they've "made it," & we have some idea why they think they're so great that they're above the law.

My new ATM machine gives you an option of two languages. Not so unusual, as we often must choose between English & Spanish; however, my options are now ENGLISH or FRENCH! I know not a single person in Fairmont, WV, for whom French is their language of origin.

Is there any better way to start the day than by receiving a smile from three month old Drew?

I wonder why it was necessary for Lance Bass to "announce" that he is gay? (To no one's surprise, I might add.)

Just when I think my television viewing couldn't get much worse, I discover a show called "Bridzillas!" Need I say more . . .

Who knew my sons' new hobby, a podcast, would become so popular? The Brothers in 3-Z is now nominated for a national people's choice award. It certainly is fun seeing them get all of this attention! I have done my part encouraging friends & family to vote as well as voting myself.

Where has the summer gone? We had no summer weather in June, July became a scorcher, & now we are one week into August. My favorite season has just flown by!

Mindless

Summer tv viewing can usually not be more boring. I seldom have the tv on in the summer preferring to spend my evenings & weekends doing something outside at least until dark. This summer, however, I have been riveted by some real reality tv. First we have the infamous Britney Spears interview with Matt Lauer. Where do I start with this? She looked like white trash. I know she's pregnant, but she's also fat in places that have nothing to do with pregnancy & chose to show as much chubby skin as possible. In addition, most of her remarks were inane & certainly did nothing to enhance her image. Secondly, the feud between Barbara Walters & Star Jones has made must-see tv for me. It's hard to predict what either will say or do next! I found myself watching Star for an entire hour on "Larry King Live." You just can't conjure up more drama than has unfolded with the two of them.

My son & daughter-in-law (Adam & Kelly) introduced me to two shows on MTV that I have found hilarious . . . "My Sweet Sixteen" & "Tiara Girls." These shows follow the ultra spoiled teens & their parents as they either prepare for a 16th birthday party (that usually costs more that an elegant wedding reception) or the pageant circuit (no amount of money is too much when attempting to win a beauty contest). I did hear Anderson Cooper say (seriously) that these two shows were his favorites. In addition I will add two MTV shows that I have found on my own . . . "Parental Consent" & "Next." I won't try to explain these shows but will only say they are also so ridiculous, they are addictive.

Needless to say, a little mindless tv viewing never hurt anybody. Bring on "Making the Band!"

Pay attention

During a recent trip to the beach with my friends two of us decided to purchase some flip flops. One night on our way to dinner we went into a store that specialized in beach shoes. We perused the flip flops & found that they were $25. After a lengthy deliberation on whether to spend that much as well as trying on numerous pairs, both my friend, Penny, & I each decided on a pair to buy. We were laughing & talking as I handed my credit card to the clerk. Obviously I was not paying much attention because as we were leaving the store, I noticed that my flip flops were $42! I checked with Penny, & hers were $42 also. I then asked the clerk who told me MOST of the flip flops were $25, however, we had each selected a pair that was $40 plus tax. So now I am wearing my flip flops everywhere--even to work occasionally! They are now more expensive than the fancy heels I bought on sale for my son's wedding last year.

Before going on vacation I returned a movie "Antz" that I had rented for Owen. This morning I found that movie in my family room. I wondered what I could possibly have returned to the video store in its place. After work I walked into the store & straight to the movie. Upon opening it I found Owen's "Neighborhood Animals" video that I keep for him at my house. He absolutely loves that video & would have been distraught if I had lost it. I can only imagine how much time we would have spent turning the house upside down trying to find it!

Momma in 3Z

It seems that every time I have a little faux pas, my sons seem to quickly to share this with one another. Often I find myself being an unwitting source of entertainment for the three of them. Nothing escapes their scrutiny; nothing goes unnoticed. I don't know if it's a generational thing or a mom thing, but they seem to think I'm a simpleton much of the time. At times I think they may set me up to look stupid. Well, I'm now finding an occasional reference to something dumb I have said or done in the 3Z podcasts. Unfortunately, I will probably be unable to go through life without making some glaring errors--At least I may be able to maintain my sense of humor if not my dignity!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my dad . . . one of the world's greatest! And what makes him a great dad? Well, I believe his unconditional love & respect for my mother set the tone for the family. They spent a lot of years successfully tag-teaming the comings & goings of four children. He has raised us to have a faith in God that sustains us during difficult times. He has inspired us to have a moral compass & to be caring & giving through the way he lives his life. He has always been my hero--the man who could fix any problem, heal any wound. He is both strong & tender. On some level I am still daddy's little girl.

Falling in love with Drew

I have loved him from the beginning when he was just a blip on a sonogram. With each passing month of Kelly's pregnancy, he became more & more real. Seeing him in person, however, was absolutely incredible! To me he looks a great deal like Adam, but I'm sure Kelly's parents see a great resemblence to the Maiden family as well. Suffice it to say he is a nice combination of both parents right now. With each passing day I am more enthralled by him. Nothing much compares to holding a new little one. I have fallen in love with this adorable baby boy . . . & this love grows stronger every day.

He came . . . He saw . . . He conquered

Owen arrived Sunday morning . . . a two year old bundle of energy. He stayed with me until Wednesday. I love his visits & (no offense to his parents) really enjoy having him all to myself for a few days.

His imagination runs wild as his bike becomes a race car careening down the grassy slope in my backyard. My plant spritzer becomes a car wash; my yardstick when leaning against the sofa becomes a great car ramp. While swimming in my pool, he pretended it was a fish tank, & we were fish. Yes, I have two boxes full of toys for him, but most often he prefers to create his own scenario. Watching & participating in his make-believe world is always a fascinating experience.

Although I won't tolerate bad behavior, I will admit to spoiling this little charmer by doing some special activities & buying a new book or toy. The best thing though is spending time with him & being a part of his world. Although it's very flattering for him to say, "I love you, Nina," with no prompting, I have also heard him say the same thing to Trevor the cat!

Owen is a very talkative little guy . . . no surprise here . . . perhaps a genetic link. I took him out for a gelatto (Italian ice cream) one night & explained that it was called "gelatto." Later I asked him "do you remember what we call the ice cream we had tonight?" His answer, "Delicious!"

Yes, he ran my life & my house for four days, & I loved every minute of it!

Full House

Over the weekend Ryan arrived with 2 1/2 year old Owen, & Adam & Kelly brought almost 4 week old Drew to meet the family. Adding to the household chaos were, of course, the three cats including Adam & Kelly's cat Sammy. It sometimes took the logistics of a field general to keep the cats away from Drew & his things & simultaneously keep Owen occupied & out of harm's way. But at the end of the day there's nothing like sleeping in a full house & spending time with these delightful little boys!

Humbling Experiences

Recently I purchased an electric weedeater & learned how to use it. I have been very proud that I can now both mow the lawn & do the trimming. Last night I stopped weedeating to chat with some neighbors who were outside. In addition there were two men from Mon Power working on a pole a few feet from me. When I resumed my trimming on a rather steep bank, I tripped & feel backwards on my rear in full view of the neighbors & the Mon Power men. I could sell tickets!

No matter what the scales tell me or what size I wear it is always depressing to try on swimsuits!

The day after my nephew Jay's graduation my mom was recalling that she has now seen six grandchildren graduate from high school & would have a grandchild graduating both next year & the year after. My niece Kerry who is five looked at her & said "you'll be in a nursing home by the time I graduate." Humorous, but humbling for my mom.

America Voted

I am admittedly a fan of American Idol. This week when America voted & Taylor Hicks was crowned the new idol, I believe America got it wrong. To me he seems a one trick pony. Katharine, on the other hand, seemed tailor-made for the title reminiscent of Kelly Clarkson & Carrie Underwood with both a great deal of talent, beauty, & poise. I also would have been fine with Chris winning; however, he was given the boot a couple of weeks earlier. He too is both talented & charismatic. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Katharine/Chris surpass Taylor & become the true stars emerging from the season. I think both these singers have more staying power than Taylor.

Of Cats & Kids

With the arrival of Adam & Kelly's cat in April, I installed some barriers to keep him (Sammy) from my relatively new family room furniture as well as the relatively new mattress & down comforter in my bedroom . . . baby gates have prohibited his entry into these areas. This past weekend I had the pleasure of keeping my 2 1/2 year old grandson, Owen, an irrepressible cat lover. Unfortunately Sammy has hissed at Owen in the past so I planned to keep them separated just to play it safe. I explained to Owen that Sam wasn't used to new people, & that he can must not try to pet him unless I was there with him. The cats eat upstairs and go down to the basement to their litter boxes. So I kept Owen gated in the family room when Sam was upstairs & put Sam in the basement when Owen was out of the gated area. When it was bedtime for Owen I promised him I would leave his door open, so I had to put all cats in the basement . . . any of them would love to hop up on the bed & wake him. Before I would go sleep in his room, I would let the cats up & shut the door close Owen & me in. I became quite proficient in the logistics of all of this. Owen, however, was still intensely curious about Sammy so I let him gradually cultivate Sammy's trust by giving him a treat or gently petting him. . . ultimately, they were getting along just fine. Who knew that both Owen & Sammy would understand the need to be gentle?

Welcome to the World, Drew Jacob Zundell!

My son, Adam, (Drew's dad) expressed surprise that I had not yet blogged about him. How do I express my joy of the birth of this precious little boy without sounding cliche? There are not enough superlatives to adequately describe holding this sweet baby in my arms or watching the totally loving expressions on his parents' faces as they held him. Yes, it was love at first sight! Baby Drew is amazing and just watching him sleep is mesmorizing. He is a miracle, an answered prayer, a reaffirmation of faith. Welcome to the world, Drew Jacob Zundell!

Consumer Wars

Round One . . .
A couple of weeks ago I purchased two different baby gates at Toys-R-Us and kept the receipt since I wasn't sure if either would work. One was $20 and the other $67. Adam helped me with the gate, and we both decided the $20 one was not only fine, but a lot less difficult to install. So I took the $67 gate back to the store only to be told that my receipt was incomplete . . . for some reason only the date, a survey, & the total sale were printed on it. I told the clerk that it was all I had been given. She informed me that the rest of the receipt should have been attached . . . I agreed with this, but I attempted to convince her that it was all I had been given. She then said I could only have store credit instead of a refund since I did not have the receipt. I asked nicely to see the manager who did believe me and agreed to refund my money.

Round two . . .
Last Saturday I went to Grease Monkey for an oil change. I was asked if I wanted some deluxe service package, & I responded that I just wanted an oil change. I took a seat inside as instructed & in about two minutes I was informed that I needed new windshield wipers. I agreed to have them put on. A couple of minutes later I was asked if I wanted my transmission fluid cleaned or replaced or something like that. I repeated that I just wanted an oil change and now new wiper blades. It wasn't long before a mechanic came out to see if I wanted my tires rotated. I said no. Shortly someone brings me two filters from my car, shows me they are dirty, & tells me I really need to replace at least one of them. I agree to that & inform him that I cannot afford anything further. So my simple oil change cost me around $100. It might have been cheaper to just agree to the deluxe package in the first place!

Round three . . .
At the end of the summer two years ago I bought a power washer at Walmart for $88 so that I could wash & seal my deck. I have used this washer about three times, & yesterday the machine smoked and burned. I loaded it in the box and trotted out to Walmart customer service. Of course I did not have the receipt since the machine was nearly two years old; however, I do believe it should have lasted for more that three uses. Anyway, I was told this is an item Walmart no longer carries, & that they best they could do was to give me the toll free number for Black & Decker. People began lining up at customer service, & I wasn't budging. I told the clerk I did not want to wait weeks or months to get a replacement from Black & Decker since I was currently in the process of cleaning & sealing my deck. I calmly asked to see the manager. A guy behind me was giving me encouragement by telling me that his family had the same problem with the exact same washer. They had contacted Black & Decker & waited for months for it to be replaced. After some time the manager arrives & reiterates the store policy. I explain to him that I needed a replacement power washer, a refund, or store credit. He then agreed to let me replace it with $88 credit & explains that if I chose a replacement that exceeds $88 I will have to pay the difference. I tell him that I understand & thank him. I finally find a power washer for under $150 . . . it is $84 . . .& take it back to customer service. The clerk there then tells me that it has to exceed $88 to be exchanged. I tell her that I do not want to pay an addition $60+ to exchange it & that it's fine with me to do an even exchange . . . I will forfeit the $4. She is convinced that she cannot do this, but while she is giving me a hard time about it, the manager approaches. He tells her it is fine for me to exchange the $84 washer for the $88 washer & instructs her to refund the difference to me. So I come home a little happier with a new power washer & $4 to boot!

Down from the Ledge

My son, Adam, often tells me he needs to talk me down from the ledge. Sons Trent & Ryan usually just tell me to calm down. I was, however, in a state over Beilein Watch yesterday. Going to tennis straight from work I realized at some point my cell phone was dead. If it hadn't been I would have spared myself a hour or so of anxiety as Ryan called me immediately when he heard on "Statewide Sportsline" the statement released by WVU that Coach B is staying. I probably have enough drama in my real life not to get so stressed by WVU basketball.

Something new has been creeping into my life over the past few years, and I finally have to acknowledge it. Yes, when Renea & Kelly became my daughters-in-law, they brought their love for country music into my life. Although I would continue to say I hated country music, I began to add "but I do like Faith Hill." Soon I was also adding a few songs by Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, & Keith Urban. Now with my nephew, Brooks, in college in Nashville, he has me listening to even more country songs. I still abhor the real twangy, whiny stuff, but I guess I can now add country as a category of music that I can rather enjoy.

Being outside the city I have a private garbage service. Oddly enough, the one thing this service will never take is yard clippings (the only thing that really would present no problem & could be dumped anywhere). I have had to be creative to find a way around this & will fill a bag approximately 2/3 of the way with clippings, then add other garbage on top to create the illusion of a regular bag of trash. I have recently found that many of my neighbors do the same thing. If the service finds a bag of clippings (& believe me, they look), they will just leave the bag. It's just frustrating that bagging garbage now requires so much ingenuity.

Beilein Watch

WVU's coach, John Beilein, seems to be a candidate for every single D1 opening this year. For me it is reminiscent of a time during high school when I dated a really gorgeous guy. It was hard to enjoy my time in the relationship since every girl in the school was always flirting with him. For me it was not "if," but "when," he would move on.

Although it is rather flattering to have Coach Beilein considered to be one of the best basketball coaches in the country, this constant speculation about his leaving is wearing me out. I have no idea if he is actively pursuing all these jobs; he may just have an agent who believes he should be a candidate for everything. He may just be so highly regarded he is automatically considered. However, there are other coaches who are held in high esteem & are not automatically mentioned every time there is an open position.

I would imagine all this speculation is quite a source of anxiety for our players as well as the seven new recruits. In addition, if he stays this time will it harm recruiting next year? It seems that it would be difficult for a player to commit to a program whose coach seems to always be seeking greener pastures.

Coach B has elevated WVU's basketball program to a new level and has done this with class & character. At the same time WVU has provided him an opportunity to receive national attention. He is admired here not only for his coaching abilities but also for his values. I hope he stays & that he will say something definitive to put the rumors to rest. . . if not, we will probably have a new Beilein watch every few weeks.

Transition

This weekend the arrival of Sammy the cat precipitated the transition from "unofficial" baby watch to the "official" baby watch. The plan is for Sam to stay here until Adam & Kelly have a larger place to live. Since he did live here for three years, we all hoped the adjustment wouldn't be too difficult. Sam arrived with his dad/owner, my son Adam, on Saturday. He climbed out of his carrier & was immediately filled with anger & anxiety. He began to both hiss & growl & was greeted with return hisses from my cats, Tigger & Trevor. He then headed for the basement to get away from all of us. Adam's efforts to coax him out were rebuffed.

Later Sammy did venture back to the top of the basement stairs where he lay hissing & growling at all passersby, human or feline. Both Tigger & Trevor were also hissing. At this point I began to wonder if Sammy would be returning to Maryland the next day instead of boarding with us. I was beginning to feel some anxiety myself.

Eventually he did come upstairs although he did continue to hiss. The growling stopped & was replaced by a somewhat pathetic meow.

At bedtime he went with Adam & only had one minor altercation with Trevor during the night. In the morning I found him napping in the living room & agreeable. I think he's beginning to adjust. Hopefully he will even come to enjoy being here. Tigger & Trevor are still a little skittish. None of them are eating much yet. So far there has been no actual cat fight, which was my biggest fear. So maybe it will be okay for all of us. Let the official watch begin . . .

Unofficial Baby Watch

Unofficial Baby Watch

The unofficial baby watch has now begun for the new grandbaby, "BZ." Tasks to be completed during this period include, but are not limited to, getting directions to the hospital, getting a few essentials packed, & knitting like crazy to finish BZ's blanket.
I also am beginning to keep my cell phone on most of the time when I'm not at home or work. . . trying to be accessible 24/7.

Speaking of babies, how ironic is it that Tom Cruise & Brooke Shields both had baby girls yesterday in the same hospital?

Official baby watch begins next week. (April 23rd)

This & That

Spring, sun, daylight savings time . . . BRING IT ON!
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For years I believed that viewing golf on TV was about as exciting as watching grass grow. That all changed one spring when my youngest son, an avid golfer, & I went to Florida for Easter break. Since he didn't have his brothers, I was a candidate for watching the Masters with him. He coaxed me with talk of azaleas & patiently gave the back story on many of the players. Yesterday I found myself riveted to the Masters (as I have been during the past few years)as I watched my son's favorite player win, & of course, enjoyed the azaleas!
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They will never make a drug that provides as much exhilaration as spending a weekend with my exuberant two year old grandson. Is there a greater high anywhere that receiving an enthusiastic hug & kiss from this child? After hours of reading books, playing trains & trucks, & pretending to be animals, I am totally rejuvenated!
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After four weekends on the road it was back to reality this past weekend. Much of my time was spent in running errands & cleaning the house . . . Ugh! All necessities but certainly a lot less interesting!

The month of madness

For some reason I often seem to be traveling during "March Madness." I can remember watching games in San Francisco, Phoenix, Orlando, & in at Stonewall Jackson resort in recent years. This past weekend I watched some games in Laurel, MD, with Adam & Kelly. This weekend I will watch with my friends at our Deep Creek girl retreat . . . fortunately, a couple of my friends are avid sports fans like me! I guess there is something about the prospect of spring that brings out my urge to travel as I am in the midst of my "March Tour" (four straight weekends of travel).

It's hard to believe that spring has arrived, however, since it has snowed every day. I will be one happy girl when this cold weather finally ends. At least the daylight hours are increasing significantly, and it is now possible to go to the track after work.

Feel good story of the day for this cat lover . . . the cat that fell 80 feet from a tree & survived! All she needed was a little kitty ibuprophen.

Question of the day . . . Can the Georgia Dome be as magical for the Mountaineer basketball team as it was for the football team last January?

Every year I have good intentions of having everything ready for both my parents taxes & my own to go to the accountant in February. As in past years, it is mid-March, & I'm still compiling data. Hopefully, the task will be complete before the end of the month. If I were anticipating a refund, it would have been done long before now!

What I'd like to tell TV Execs

It is frustrating to settle in to watch your favorite show only to find it's a) a rerun or b) not on. In the winter I do often spend my weeknight evenings in front of the television. I have a few suggestions for the powers-that-be for improving television schedules:

1) Episodic shows do not rerun well especially when random past shows are thrown into the middle of the current new season. Please show the full new season; then rerun it in order. "Lost," for example, has me totally lost with the frequent old shows interspersed among the new ones. "24" gets it right!
2) Give new shows a chance to find an audience. After the money has been spent to hire cast & crew, prepare a set, promote the show, give it a chance. I have heard that this or that new show is good or funny only to find that I couldn't watch because it was cancelled after 2 or 3 episodes. Some shows are instant hits; others take time to develop viewers. Along the same lines moving shows to different nights & time slots in the middle of the season is also confusing!
3) Don't give us too much of a good thing. When the "Millionaire" first debuted, it was a huge success so the network decided to air it a million times. Over saturation killed it fairly quickly. It appears that "Deal or No Deal" may suffer the same fate.
4) Taking HUGE breaks(aka hiatus)causes viewers to either forget about the show or to change their viewing habits so that they no longer care about the show. Would it be so terrible to run a show totally through all it's episodes; then begin a different show? Right now, some shows are interrupted for months with a new show, then the old one returns.

Once daylight savings time arrives, I will no longer care since being outside will trump anything on TV for me. In the meantime bring on March Madness!!!