Hitting the Road (again)

Yep, I've got the road in my blood now - can't wait to get out again!

Ok, not really, but when my mom gave me the dates for her trip I didn't realize that they fell so close to the date that I was supposed to meet some friends (this weekend). And next weekend is the big sailboat race in town and I'm off on another vacation! No rest for the wicked...

So on Saturday I have to get back on the road, this time to Cleavland - that's right I'm headed for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a Gay Rodeo (you can't say I don't know how to have a good time). I'll be hitting the road first thing Saturday morning and returning to my quiet little burg on Sunday evening. In between all that is the Rock and Roll Hall of fame, a contest for "Queen of the Rodeo" (and I don't mean in the royal sense) and some other stuff that I'm sure will be very interesting.

I only ever get to see these friends once a year, so when they called to say they were going to be in my neck of the woods (roughly, if you can call a 4 hour drive in my neck of the woods) I said sure - I'll meet you! Now I'm sort of regretting it, though I'm sure it will be fun. And probably a fairly good photo op.

So that's a wrap for me - end of visit (mom leaves tomorrow), end of June, end of NaBloPoMo and end of sanity for a while. Peace out!

Current Music: listening to the sweet stylings of a sad old printer because I forgot to bring my iPod to work

3 Days (well, one and a half)

"Fish and visitors smell in three days."
-Benjamin Franklin

Such a wise man, founds a country and realizes that visiting friends and family suck.

Part of me really hates to say that about my mom - after all, she is my mom and she has lots of awesome characteristics. But the bigger part of me says "remember, this is why you moved half way across the country dummy".

Tomorrow I get to go to work - which I don't really want to do, but it means that I don't have to be here listening to her go on and on about all the stuff she goes on about (if I have to hear the story of her making pudding for my niece again I may actually rip my own ears off). Other than that I am not looking forward to getting back into the office - I'm never sure what is worse, leaving for vacation or coming back (in reality it all sucks).

The good news for Scott is that he's stuck home with her tomorrow - all right, so it's not good news for him, but it is good for me :-) Well, since she loves him more that makes it less bad for him!

So it's t-minus 2 days for mom's visit and NaBloPoMo. Won't you be glad not to see my little rant-y posts not showing up in your readers?

Current Music: catching up on tivo, a little "Good Eats"

Nice work

It's not easy, carrying all this amazing food around when you're hungry.

Safe and Sound

Well, we're home - safe and sound, mostly anyway. My mom nearly passed out again, this time was we looked over Niagara Falls, it could have gone so very wrong. It didn't though.

Mentally I'm sure we're all a bit unsound. As soon as we got home (after fighting traffic to get back into the states and picking up the dog at the kennel) we all pretty much went to our corners to have a little "alone time". That's what I'm doing now in fact :-)

Tomorrow I have to work in the evening, but before then I need to return the rental car, drag Mom to the Library and then stop and take a look at the Tall Ships that are in town for the weekend. Really looking forward to work tomorrow!

Current Music: Work That - Mary J. Blige

Is It Over Yet?

Is this "vacation" over? Is NaBloPoMo over? Are we done yet? 'Cause I am!

One more day of road trip to go - the good news is that it's the drive back home, the bad news is that it's the drive back home and I still have 4 days left to "visit" with my mom when we get back.

I guess the real good news is that I don't have to drive for nine hours and then go work in the restaurant. And the actual bad news is that I have to go back to work on Monday, and I expect that there will be all kinds of crap involved with that.

On the asshole husband front - I made him swear up and down that he would not blow his top about traffic or getting lost if he picked out the route. I picked out the route and when he started to get peeved because of a detour I reminded him of his promise and low and behold he actually kept his temper in check. I'm floored.

On the mother front - she almost passed out in Independence Hall due to heat stoke. Happily, she recovered, we checked out a few more things and then hi-tailed it out of Philly. Sadly, we did not get to be on the news or add to the amazing history of the place by having her pass out.

Only a few more days of blogging left too - hang in there, we're almost home!

Oh, Now I Remember

Years and years ago we were in Club Med and one of the ladies there was vacationing without her husband or kids. According to her, it's what they did. One family vacation then one vacation for him and one for her.

And my parents don't travel together, not because they are divorced (even though they should be) but because they don't travel well together. So they choose to travel separately - which is why Mom is here now and Dad is home.

Every time we travel together I remember that I hate traveling with Scott. He gets pissy if I want to do something that he doesn't, he hates it when I want to stop to take a picture, and he completely comes unhinged if we get stuck in traffic/lost/or are the victim of bad directions (the internet kind - don't start thinking that he actually stops to ask for directions). And don't even get me started on plane travel (the only bright side of that is that it's mercifully short).

Oh sure, the vacation sex is always fun; and once we get to a destination or get done doing something I want to do his mood improves. But the traveling part kind of sucks.

Someone please remind me of that the next time I say I'm thinking about a vacation!

It's The Thought That Counts, Right?

I sent in my pitiful NaBloPoMo post on the phone last night and apparently it didn't go through. I really didn't say much - so you didn't really miss much. But I say this counts for Monday and Tuesday!

Day three of the trip, we're headed off to Gettysburg today, should be good for the hour or two - then I'll be bored out of my skull. But, according to Scott and my mom, not everything is about me - who knew?! My uncle is driving up from Virginia to join us, that should be, um, interesting. He's beyond preachy and pedantic, but he's family so what are you going to do? No matter which way you look at it, it is going to be a long day.

Yesterday we checked out the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, and wandered around Hershey. It's true, the street lights really are shaped like kisses - so cute. We checked out the Hotel Hershey and it's lovely 1930's interiors and the Hershey Gardens (those were my picks of course). A good day all in all.

BTW, yes John Corbett is not just a pretty face, the music was pretty good. Yes, he does seem like a regular guy - he drinks Corona or Jack and soda (with lime), and he likes to pick up cute girls (mostly brunettes if that helps!). Pretty regular guy, right?!

Current Music: Mercy - Duffy

Already on history overload -

Already on history overload - tomorrow Gettysburg. Woo freakin' hoo!

Awesome!

I had to work both Friday and Saturday nights at the restaurant, I always work when there's a show. Normally I would say that it sucks - but not in this case, because this weekend's show was the John Corbett Band! It's always a lot more fun to work when the show is good. But wait, it gets better..

The shows ran so long that we were allowed to slip into the theater and watch (service in the restaurant was done and the bar was stocked and ready for the after-show party) - not just listen in the bar (with a wall in between). Then, once the show was out the band came in to hang out in the bar. Sadly I had to serve drinks all night, but I got to make sure that all the band members had drinks. I didn't get tipped in cash, but I did get tipped with a cheek kiss and a little snuggely hug - AWESOME!

Oh yeah - I got that tip two nights in a row, he is nothing if not consistent (oh and cute, and tall and pretty yummy).

In other news:
- The concert was really good - he's not just a pretty face.
- You might think that standing back stage and looking at his "good side" is great, and it is!
- There was a big down side - I worked till 2:30am both nights and am currently working on about hours of sleep in 48 hours.
- The vacation has arrived and I am in PA - getting ready to do the history thing with Mom and Scott (thank goodness for wi-fi at this hotel - take that NaBloPoMo).

More on the "vacation" later...

OMG John Corbett just kissed

OMG John Corbett just kissed me on the cheek! More later :-)

We Interupt Your Regular Program...

It's a wonder that I can ever get anything done around here.

I got into the office at 9:30am and I have been interrupted no fewer than 12 times for totally BS things. It's now 1pm and I've gotten nothing done (not to mention the crimp that it's put in reading my personal email and blogs, etc.) - and I have to leave at 2:45 for my appointments.

Of course I have a ton of stuff to do to get out of here on Sunday and a bunch of appointments too. I guess I'm going to have to be in the office a bit tomorrow! So now the question is when am I going to pack?

Current Music: These Streets -Paolo Nutini

Strike!

My girl KimmyK is the smartest girl in the universe! She suggested I go on strike. That way I could just blog away and visit all my peeps and enjoy myself - the way it was intended! And I totally would, except...

1. Striking does not pay well - actually, neither of my jobs pay particularly well, so I guess that's not really a very good argument.

2. I've tried it before, and it doesn't work. What tends to happen in the battle of wills I lose - my ability to handle the grossness is lacking compared to Scott's. Well, he's a guy of course he can handle more gross than I can!

3. Guilt. While I was not raised either Catholic or Jewish I have enough guilt to give any of those kids a run for their money. I know that my mom won't actually care about how clean my house is. I know that there's no NaBloPoMo police - that I don't have to post every day. I know that every single one of my clients isn't going to call when I'm gone - so I don't need to leave notes on every file. But I feel like I should, so I do.

And in housekeeping news - progress has been made...

Yesterday, when Scott told me he was going to stay home I told him to fold the laundry that had been sitting for three days - I didn't hint, I didn't ask, I told him. AND IT WORKED!

Today, he asked what he could do to help, and he looked at the To-Do list and he actually ta-did! Now, he only did half the laundry, dusted, swept and vacuumed the floors - but as you'll recall I only expected that he would maybe vacuum. So I'll consider that progress!

We'll see what happens tomorrow, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Current Music: We're All In This Together - Ben Lee

Housekeeping

Or perhaps the lack there of... My house is a complete mess and my mother is arriving on Sunday. The good news is that we are picking her up at the airport and hitting the road for our trip to PA, so technically she won't be seeing our house till the following Friday - but it still needs to be cleaned before we leave to go get her.

That means that between now and Sunday at 7am I need to:
wash down the kitchen cabinets
clean the kitchen counters
excavate the mess on the dinning room table
clean both bathrooms
napalm the shower (I'm not sure there's anything else that will clean it)
do a bunch of laundry (all the guest sheets and towels apparently became a cat bed)
sweep and mop all the floors
dust
vacuum

oh, and pack

And that's just at home, I still have to get the dog to the kennel, pick up the rental car (I'm not putting all those miles on my little car) and get everything at work ready for my absence. And I haven't even started thinking about how I'm going to deal with NaBloPoMo while I'm gone - I think you should prepare yourselves for short mobile phone posts. Oh, and I'm working at the restaurant Friday and Saturday night. I'm tired just thinking about it all.

You may ask how many things on this list Scott is taking care of, the answer my friends is probably one - vacuuming. Somehow the interior of our home is my domain, while he takes care of the outside (and when I say outside I mean lawn, not garden - that's my problem too). That's right I'm going to take care of that big ass list of things to do and he's going to sit on his riding mower for an hour or two - totally seems fair.

Every once and a while I wonder what it would be like to have a husband that actually helped out - but then it makes me wonder how many of them actually exist (and aren't secretly gay). Maybe one of these days I'll realize that the fairy tales don't really come true and get back to doing the laundry.

Current Music: Nolita Fairytale - Vanessa Carlton

Lost Again

We tivo'd the season finale of Lost, last year. And then we tivo'd all of this season - start to finish. I'm still not sure why we waited until now to to start watching it, but we did. Maybe it's the fall like weather or the fact that we're trying to clear off the tivo a bit, whatever the reason - we're doing it.

So, last year's season finale and three hours into this year's season and I'm just as lost as I was when we stopped watching it a year ago. Oh Snap - maybe that's why it's called Lost (I always figured that it was because they were all lost on an island). Don't get me wrong, I still love the show, but I think I love it because I'm in a constant state of confusion! Does that make sense?

Don't tell me what happens, just tell me if it start to makes sense...

Current Music: dude, I just told you I'm watching Lost.

Huh...

Kind of out of words today. This is one of the problems with NaBloPoMo - sometimes there are only so many vaguely good posts in a person. As of today I may have run out.

In reality it was just a serious Monday, that followed a sub-par weekend - add a case of PMS (yeah, again - seriously I think I have PMS two weeks a month) and lack of sleep and it really adds up to a crap-tastic day.

The good news is that I should be able to look forward to a better night of sleep tonight, given the fact that it's cool out and Scott won't have to run the air conditioner ALL NIGHT LONG (insert Lionel Richie clip here). Also with a little help from my friend Midol served up with a side of Ho-Hos I should be slightly less crabby (and when I say crabby I mean super bitch-o-rama).

Perhaps I'll be able to find some more exciting words tomorrow.

Current Music: Sociopath - Anya Marina

Late Night

Here's the top ten reasons why I shouldn't watch late night TV (and why I love tivo).

1. Are there really lots of singles waiting to talk to me?

2. When did Trojan start making vibrators and how are they allowed to advertise them on TV?

3. Ice cream tastes better before you brush your teeth.

4. Viva Viagra!

5. Do male enhancement creams really work?

6. Wine does not make any of these commercials funnier, thought it does help with sleeping.

7. Why do commercials for "feminine products" always have to be so peppy?

8. Where is the closest Sonic - and do they have anything besides dumb people in their cars?

9. Ice cream and wine after midnight gives me heartburn.

10. David Letterman isn't as funny as he used to be.

Current Music: no music, just bad late night TV.

Never Had A Doubt

So, I just did the best thing EVER. I used my new Ped Egg. It. Was. Awesome.

I had seen the infomercial and thought "well, maybe". Then I thought back to my "Ab Roller", and decided that it was probably crap (like the stuff in most other infomercials). So I decided against ordering one (even though I really, really wanted one).

Then not long ago, my girl FADOKG waxed poetic about her new Ped Egg - and I have to say I was intrigued. And of course, now that I had a credible review I could go out and buy one.

Not long after that, Scott and I were watching TV and the commercial popped up again. I said that I was going to order one, that I was really excited about it. He, of course, said it was a dumb idea and he was sure it wasn't going to work. So, my hopes and dreams of smooth feet were dashed and I decided not to order one (even though it was two for the price of one!) again.

Then today, as I strolled through Target, I saw it there. Shining like a beacon on an end cap (between the kitchen utensils and the dog food), there was my Ped Egg. I couldn't help myself - it was fate or kismet or both - what ever it was, I had to have it.

So I'm not ready for a guest shot on the infomercial just yet - but a few more times with this little bad boy and I'll be ready the foot loose and fancy free days of summer.

Current Music: Think I'm In Love - Beck

As Good As It Gets

It's 5 minutes till Midnight, I've just arrived home from the restaurant and mowed down some Taco Bell - and I'm worried about NaBloPoMo. I hope they appreciate this level of dedication, some how I think they don't...

Current Music: me humming "Story Weather", it's not all that good.

There's No Place Like Home

There's a saying, "Home is where your Mom is." That means that as of now, my home is in California. And I will say that that's very true, even after four years I still feel that my home is out there. But if home is where your Mom is then, Michigan is going to be home for a bit - 'cause Mom's headed this way.

She's headed in for a week and a bit of vacation - we're doing a driving trip to Pennsylvania (you know doing the history thing) and then back home for a little visiting and then she leaves. Should be long and painful, with highlights of fun.

I jest, sort of. It should be fun. I've never been to Philly and I hear there are good cheese steaks and there's an old bell with a crack in it - good times. We're going to hit Hershey, PA on the way - just cause there's chocolate there. Then I'm not sure what, Gettysburg, Yorktown and on to Philly? We'll go where the toll road takes us...

So I guess this means that home is going to be in Pennsylvania for a bit too!

Current Music: Country Roads - Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies

Happy Birthday Pop!

Today is my Dad's 67th birthday - and I wish I could be celebrating it with him. Ever since his heart transplant I've felt like each Birthday, Christmas, or vacation is a blessing - but I worry that if I'm not there for this one, will there be another?

I know it's morbid, but due to the transplant and the rejection issues his days are numbered, we just don't know what the number is. I wonder if it's easier to know a more exact time frame or not.

Anyway - enough of all that... Today he is celebrating a birthday and that is a wonderful thing.

So happy birthday Pop, my world is a better place because of you.

Current Music: Beautiful Day - Bedouin SoundClash

I Promise

Just one more night, then I'm all yours again! We've just got to get through the graduation tonight and the inevitable tears when I tell the kids that their parents won't be home before they have to go to bed and then I'm free.

Unless they've changed their plans and decided to stay in France permanently. In which case I will have to take a blogging hiatus as I hunt them down and kill them - wait no, bring them back, why would I want them dead?! I have confirmed that their flight left and is theoretically winging it's way to Detroit, but sadly there is no way to confirm that they are on it.

Anyway, as of tomorrow night I'll be sitting curled up in my comfy chair with my laptop, my tivo remote and a glass wine (or something stronger if tonight doesn't go well) - ready to read up on all that's new with you dear friends (so quick, run out and do something impressive) and maybe, just maybe crank out a really awesome post, though I wouldn't hold your breath or anything.

Current Music: Musicbox - Regina Spektor

Priceless

House cleaned up - 1 Hour

Kids fed - 2 Hour at a crappy restaurant and a Migraine

Clothes for field trips laid out - One fight over a bathing suit

Plans for Graduation set - 3 phone calls and one fit of crying

Parents returning from France tomorrow evening - priceless

Current Music: Listening to the storm roll over, wondering which tree we'll have to take down next.

It's Baaaacckkkk

You know how I said that I was excited that Scott had managed to get the AC into the house and we weren't going to have to sweat our asses off. I was wrong - I've decided I'd rather sweat. Now I know that most normal people really wouldn't want to sweat to death all summer long, but I'll take that over the noise.

In general, Summer is a noisy time around here. First you get your thunder storms; then there are all the lawn mowers, weed whackers and leaf blowers; of course there are all the boats up and down the river (we live right along the no wake zone, so it's really loud!). But the worst part is our stupid Air Conditioner, well and the fans too.

All night and every night of summer I have to listen to the fan going constantly and the AC cycling on and off. I basically sleep deprived from June to September. And that's just at night, during the day I have to constantly raise and lower the volume on the TV/iPod/telephone, you know anything I'm trying to hear.

And let's not forget going to work, where I sit directly beneath an AC unit all day. If I'm lucky I can hear myself think, but I definitely can not hear anyone that calls, or the intercom or even some clients when they come in the door.

Current Music: I don't know, I can't hear...

P.S. SATC was awesome! I haven't been the most avid watcher of the show - I always liked it, but I never watched it religiously; but it sure was a good movie. I'll agree, there were a few outfits that were, well even for SJP they were a bit much; but over all v. fun. The plot was good, and clear enough for a non-watcher - and the ending was good. All in all, two thumbs way up.

Dang It

Apparently my phone post didn't get to where it was supposed to go (namely here)! So I suppose I goofed up NaBloPoMo, but I tried.

Here's what you missed...


Yeah - Finally seeing Sex and the City.

Silver Lining

In the spirit of my new improved attitude (and a lot of caffeine), here's the brighter side of me today...

It's hotter than Hades today - bright side, I get to wear my cute skirt that makes me feel all Audry Hepburn-y along with my sassy silver flats (also very Audrey Hepburn, well maybe not the silver part).

I am a seriously white individual - bright side, say it with me "Self-Tanning Lotion".

The self-tanning lotion that was supposed to be streak free left a big fat streak on the top of my foot - bright side, my one foot looks very defined. Can a foot looked "ripped" - cause mine kinda does.

Less than a half an hour before I have to head off to the restaurant to work - bright side, tips, hopefully they will be good. Another bright side is the thought of a cold beer in the bar at the end of the night, I do love that part of the restaurant thing.

It's going to be hot and ridiculously humid all weekend long - bright side, Scott got the AC up and running today, so my plan for being unproductive just got a lot cooler.

Just got off the phone with Scott, child #1 is having a melt down - bright side, I'm not the one that has to deal with it :-)!!!! I was nice enough, however, to call their aunt and let them know that she might be cruising into a "Perfect Storm".

Oh and I'm super excited to got to see SATC tomorrow night with a bunch of gal pals - as long as I don't have to work. Guess there's no real bright side to that one, but pretty excited anyway.

Current Music: On the Sunny Side of the Street - Billie Holiday

Almost There

Alright - the kids are all packed off to head to their aunt's house for the weekend - and I get to go home (well, for the weekend anyway)!!!! Sadly, we get them back for Monday and Tuesday, but then we really are done.

In between today and the return of the parental units (now also known as the ex-friends) we are due for insanely high temps with the humidity to go along with it and tons of rain. That means that the weekend will be less than productive, and if it's still raining when we get the kids back they will be suffering a severe case of cabin fever (which I have now found out leads to fighting and meltdowns of the first degree). Needless to say, I'm not really keen to get the kids back, but there is a little light at the end of the tunnel!

Now I'm off to double check that everything is packed for tomorrow, homework is in the correct backpacks, lunches are ready, and clothes are laid out - a baby sitter's work is never done.

Current Music: the theme song to Two and a Half Men

Nobody Home

Such a useful expression - and so very accurate. Now, most of the time I use it figuratively, but this week it's very real. That's right, nobody is at my home (oh wait, there are three attack cats and a viscous guard dog, so even though we're not there it's very well protected). We've left the peace and quiet of our little house for a bigger one, filled with two kids and a geriatric dog. I now have a new appreciation for the expression "There's no place like home".

I'm not saying that the house swap isn't nice - the kitchen is bigger than my bedroom, there's a huge shower and a great hot tub - what's not to like?! Oh that's right, the house comes with the aforementioned children.

How, you ask, did we end up with kids all of a sudden? Well, a couple of months ago our good friends asked us if we would take care of their kids so that they could go on a romantic vacation to the south of France. We, being the childless idiots that we are, said no problem (as I said yesterday, we didn't think it would be that tough)! Needless to say if our dear friends, whom we love very much and would do almost anything for, ask us to do this again we will laugh and laugh and then say no.

Every night after dinner and homework are done I've been running home to my little empty house - to feed the animals and take the dog for a walk. The quiet is astonishing. And as I lock up the house to head back to the madness I realize that I can hardly wait to get back home the next day. Dorothy was so very right!

Current Music: Adrift - Barenaked Ladies

Yeah, I Guess So

Well I guess I'm doing NaBloPoMo! Since I feel the crushing need to post, I think it's safe to say that I've "committed" to it.

Speaking of being committed, I don't know how you folks with kids do it! I've had these kids for a couple of days and I'm already going nuts (hence the short posts). I came in the door tonight and promptly got yelled at by three people - usually it's one person and a couple of cats, (somehow the dog never gets mad at me).

When we first agreed to take care of the kids (months and months ago) I thought it would be easy - two adults against two kids, can't be that tough right? So very wrong. It's hard work and I have a new found respect for you moms out there.

But it's late and I'm cranky and tomorrow is another day - maybe it will be better.

Current Music: I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones

Need Sleep

Does 11:30pm seem a bit too late to work on a Harley? I say yes, but perhaps I'm in the minority?

I'm already working on 4 hours of sleep and I need to go to bed, but now I get to listen to some red-neck jack-ass play with his toys.

I still haven't committed to the NaBloPoMo thing, so just consider this a random rant...

I Might Be Dumb

Well, really there's no "might be" about it, but here's why I'm dumb this time. I'm pondering doing NaBloPoMo for June. Not really sure that I have time, or the energy, or even the brain cells. The thing is that the theme for June is "home" and that struck a chord with me. That and the fact that saying the other day that my blog makes me happy makes me think that I should do it more - and since I tend to post more frequently (say, every day) when I'm doing NaBloPoMo, then maybe it's a good thing.

I haven't completely committed myself to this yet, but I'll sleep on it and see what I think in the morning.

Oh, and to stay true to the theme I am posting from a friends house tonight (and if I do NaBloPoMo all the rest of the week) - but more on that later!

Current Music: Home - Barenaked Ladies