Sunday, January 30, 2005

Okay guys, I have a favor - my son started a little blog and he posed a question. Nothing too major, but he'd love a comment or two - so if you could, make your way over here.

Thanks!
I saw that Tash had done this and now Jennifer too. And seeing as how copying the neighborhood thing was easier than being original I thought I'd copy this too. So, please go and post something funny. Who knows, you might find it here too ;)

First Car
firstcar
It was more a gold/mustard color though. And no back window louvers (or pretend supercharger type thing on the hood.)

Place I grew up
whereigrewup

Place I live now
whereilivenow

Name
myname
I decided not to post the mostly naked pics of JLo. But is that *gag* sperm????


Grandmother's Name
grammysname
It was Aurora.

Favorite Food
favoritefood

Favorite Drink
favoritedrink
Favorite Song
brand
Okay, I went with an old favorite here because I cannot imagine NOT loving this song...*Brandy, you're a fine girl, what a good wife you would be*

Favorite Smell
butterscotch

Favorite Shoes
favoriteshoes
Pretty close, except mine aren't mules. And they're red.

Okay, I forgot to post what the hell this is. You do a google image search for your answers to the picture headings. You're supposed to post the very first picture you find, but that was bogus because most of my answers were totally indecipherable by just looking at the first pictures. So I cheated.

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Really, I almost finished the post. I did. But it has links. Or maybe pictures if I feel ambitious.

And I'm tired.

G'nite.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Who are the people in your neighborhood, in your neighborhood, in your neigh-bor-hood?

Okay, I didn't steal this from Lisa, but seeing as I am on snow overload I cannot seem to think of one original idea. So I copied. Thanks Lisa. :)

If I lived in Jennifer's neighborhood, I would be want to come with her to bingo and then let our kids all play together in the snow.

If I lived in Kate's neighborhood, I'd invite her over for Alias parties and take her to IKEA with me and then we would go to the beach and wear shorts - IN DECEMBER!! (WHY is there no IKEA in all of my state???)

If I lived in Lisa's neighborhood, I would drop subtle hints so that she would invite me over for goan potato or some other yummy delicacy she's whipped up.

If I lived in Gem's neighborhood, I would visit castles and 'ooh and aw' over the scenery and due to the fact that my dogs have a great dislike of all things feline I would fence in my yard.

If I lived in Blackbird's neighborhood, I would steal her Dyson and invite her to join our book club. Where wine, not judgement, is served.

If I lived in James' neighborhood, I would invite him (and his new girl too) over for the SuperBowl, The Big Dance, The Game, you know - some football.

If I lived in April's neighborhood, I would ask her to teach me some photography tricks and then invite her over for the Super Bowl. Riley, of course, is also invited.

If I lived in Willow's neighborhood, I would invite her over so I could hear that *hee-hee* in person. :) That is unless I have a 'head-rake'. ;)

If I lived in Tara's neighborhood, I would ask for a ride her her brandy new vehicle and let some of her happy spirit rub off on me.

If I lived in Michelle's neighborhood, I would ask her to show me all of the fun things she's discovered in her city and then we could watch movies, with subtitles, of course

If I lived in PixelPainter's neighborhood, I would invite her dog over to romp in the snow and then thank her for being a kind neighbor for not mentioning my 'winter wreath'.

The state of affairs: Where you would normally walk off of the front stairs of the deck you now cannot even see the stairs but the seeing as the snow is level with the deck and in some cases HIGHER than the deck you don't really need stairs. Besides, where's the fun if you can't sink almost to your WAIST when you take the dogs off the beaten/shoveled path.

Friends are coming over to visit us. On snowmobiles.

School has been closed for four days. That last sentence should give you a good idea about the tenuous state of my mental health.


Tuesday, January 25, 2005

4-7 more inches predicted for tomorrow with unspecified higher amounts predicted for my county. They haven't cancelled school yet. I'm supposed to work.

I'm suffering from grouchy-itis. My kids are also stricken with the same affliction.

Blogger hasn't been letting me post. "Alert" it says. Alert this, jerks.

Only saw one accident today. Husband is in critical condition with above mentioned grouchy-itis. He spun out and hit a snow bank today. No damage, no injury. As he pulls away he looks in the rearview mirror to see someone else doing the EXACT same move.

Weatherman : Blah, blah, lots of snow, morning commute, evening commute, more in X county, blah blah.

Me: *excited giggle*

Husband: What's so funny? what are you laughing at? That isn't funny. I'm so sick of ....blah, blah, blah....

Me: Sorry. *giggle*


P.S. My netflix movies are late. Grrrr.

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Jacksonville Here We Come

To Do List: Win.

Consider it done.

Ben who?
The Bus? What's that all about?

*IwillnotgloatIwillnotgloat*

Ugh. More fever in the house. Girlie's up to 101 degrees tonight. Son is conquering his sinus infection slowly - they said to expect him to be easily winded/out of breath for at least a week. My toothache is gone but sinus concerns remain. I'm ready for a week of non virus laden children.



According to this, if you saw last night's post, we got five inches of snow. (My husband laughed when he came home this morning and saw this sticking out of the snow on the table outside. - He knows I'm pathetic, which is nice) Posted by Hello

I don't know, but it looks like more than five inches of snow. :) Posted by Hello

The view from my living room window. Posted by Hello

As if you couldn't tell.

It's been almost twenty four hours and it's still snowing. We've gotten about 26 inches or so they say. We didn't lose power, at least so far, so that's a good thing. The neighbor girl is here playing with the daughter and the son has forged a path to play with the neighbor boy - more good things :) Not much else to say, going to watch some football and read about the real reason Jen and Brad broke up and see 'The last pictures' in US magazine. Later taters. Posted by Hello

Taken about a 1/2 hour ago. And yes, my Christmas wreath is still up.  Posted by Hello

Is it a boy scout whose always prepared? Eh, who knows. The little radio in the front is, like, one of my favorite gizmos. It's solar powered or wind up powered or has a built in rechargeable battery that lasts for 24 hours. So no battery replacement - EVER. Coleman also makes a flashlight with the same batteryless capability. I asked for it for Christmas.

My husband, in a fit of testosterone induced Christmas shopping, purcashed me a 2 million candlepower rechargeable spotlight. It is brighter than the sun. And large. And heavy. And takes 15 hours to charge. I gave it back to him. Maybe that was his intention all along. Posted by Hello

The snow we already have. Posted by Hello

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Okay, in a house surrounded by 90 foot tall pine trees makes being in a blizzard a bit more interesting. They sway. ALOT. A few years ago 1/2 of one flew off and landed on our house, smashing the roof in pretty good. That was fun.

But presently it is snowing - heavily. They're predicting 24+ inches, topping out at around 30 plus the 5 we already have. That is a shitload of snow. I am totally loving it. The wind though is supposed to gust to 75 miles per hour. Do I like the combination of big wind with tall pines? Not so much.

We are predicting the big power outage to hit sometime too. We lose the electricity alot during storms. The added bonus being that we have an artesian well and without electricity we don't have water. We have a woodstove so losing the furnace isn't a really major issue.

There's about 8 -10 inches so far out there, it's really hard to tell because the wind is really blowing right now. The husband is out plowing. He plows a huge parking lot for a commuter rail train using a backhoe. He swears it's boring. I bet he's right.

I'm trying to take a bunch of pics and hopefully I'll post them tomorrow. And tomorrow don't forget to tune in at 6:30 Eastern Standard Time to see the Patriots kick the collective asses of the Steelers. Sorry Kate and Tara, maybe next year will be your year. Or then again - maybe not. ;)

Friday, January 21, 2005


View of the pond. This was the sunny postsnowstorm day. The snow flying around is just from the trees behind me. Posted by Hello

Eight year old lab + Snow = puppy Posted by Hello

Courtesy of Weather.com....

By Saturday evening, the snow will continue to advance eastward across southern New England. Cape Cod and the Islands may encounter blizzard or near blizzard conditions by early Sunday. Winds may gust from 50 to 60 moh there with higher winds offshore. Snow will end or taper off to flurries on Sunday.

I got a bunch of movies, a new book or two, Butterfinger hot cocoa, tons of wood for the woodstove. I am so ready. Hooray for blizzard conditions.

*They just updated the forecast to measure the snow in FEET. As in two. Yowza.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer - What is one quality you really admire about yourself? Just one? Hmm... making it tough, with the 'just one'. Damn, I guess I'll say my humbleness. Or maybe my supersmartness at making up words that end with 'ness'.

Soup - What kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use? Shit, I have to go look....Biolage shampoo and presently Aussie conditioner (purchase inspired by Jennifer a few months back) until I run out, then I'll hit the hairdresser stepsister up for the employee discount at the salon.

Salad - Describe your favorite movie scene. You know, the one that just gets to you every time you watch it. Okay, in Moulin Rouge - when Ewan McGregor sings 'Your Song' upstairs in her bedroom - the whole song = goosebumps.

Main Course - If you were a veggie, which one would you be, and why? Broccoli - because I like how it looks like a tree. Dumb, I know - but what do I care?

Dessert - If you could take a weekend trip within 100 miles of your current residence, where would you like to go? An hour and a half doesn't get you too far around these parts - mostly Boston suburbs and the like, so I'd have to head east to the Cape (Cod) and stay in Truro or Wellfleet or somewhere like that. Otherwise I'm wanting to go to Vermont, but that tips the trip scale at about 3 hours.

Thursday, January 20, 2005

If He Only Knew....

Okay, so someone found my blog through a boring ole search looking for


How inspired, of course I'd be a fool for thinking that someone actually was looking for MY site when they did that search.

And then someone found my blog through the much more exciting...

My Husband's Friend Fucking & Dancing

I will keep a much closer eye on these friends of his.

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

At the School for the hopelessly inept

Things I have learned in the last day or two....

Turn your winshield wipers OFF when you shut your car off. This really doesn't apply to anyone A. With a garage or
B. Not in a snowy place
but when you leave them on and then six inches of fluffy, dry snow piles up on your winshield and then you, say, turn your car on with the door open you will get snow not only all over the floor in the car, but also the seat, the arm rest with all of the window buttons and ALL inside that nice little side pocket where I keep all of the bank deposit slips (and the lollipop stash from said bank).

Toothaches suck.
I don't know if it's a sinus infection or just a standard toothache. Never really had a toothache before so I'm no expert... But my sinuses are all screwy from this cold/virus thing that's been plagued me for the past two weeks and now my teeth on one side of my mouth are aching.

Okay, so it was just two things, but seeing as it is the school for the hopelessly inept I wouldn't want to over do it.


Monday, January 17, 2005

Two out of Three Ain't Bad

Yesterday consisted of doing two of the three things on my list of "Three things I want to do right now".

Football game with friends - check. Oh, Payton Manning - you weak minded ninny. How you quake with fear when you come to New England. And to anyone who doubts that Bill Belichick really is God Almighty, the man made it snow. There really is no other explanation. Coincidence? Puh-leeze, blasphemer. Look out Pittsburgh, we're onna roll and god wants us to win.

Good movie-check. Garden State. Altogether enjoyable movie.

I missed the Golden Globes for the first time in a million years. Too much Patriots enjoyment happening.

Friday, January 14, 2005

The list from H - E - Double Hockey Sticks

3 names you go by:
1. Jenn
2. Momma
3. Jenny

3 screen names you have:
1. jenny
2. littlewonder
3. loonponder

3 things you like about yourself:
1. I'm openminded
2. I'm a fairly good cook
3. I'm not a girly girl

3 things you hate/dislike about yourself:
1. I'm forgetful
2. I procrastinate (numbers one and two are a deadly combination)
3. I get flustered in a public speaking type of environment

3 things that scare you:
1. Not being able to keep my kids safe
2. spiders
3. butterflies (at this point I'd like to thank Lisa for freaking me right the hell out with her new blog design)

3 of your everyday essentials:
1. Some caffiene
2. This computer
3. Chapstick, actually it's some tangerine flavored stuff from EMS, but I cannot live without it.

3 things you're wearing right now:
1. New dolphin earrings (a gift from my son)
2. A Patriots Hoodie
3. comfy, fuzzy socks

3 of your favourite bands/artists:
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Audioslave
3. Linkin Park

3 of your favourite songs at present:
1. Pain by Jimmy Eat World
2. Look What You've Done by Jet
3. Over and Over by Nelly & Tim McGraw

3 new things you want to try in the next 12 months:
1. saving ALOT of money
2. taking a photography class
3. staying organized

3 things you want in a relationship (love is a given):
1. respect
2. a best friend
3. laughter

2 truths and a lie:
1. I was attacked by a swan.
2. I am allergic to scallops.
3. I ran cross country in high school.

3 physical things about a love interest that appeal:
1. biceps
2. nice teeth/great smile
3. muscle-y back, not too much with the muscles but NO back flab

3 things you just can't do:
1. a cartwheel
2. balance my checkbook
3. the New York Times Crossword puzzle

3 of your favorite hobbies:
1. Reading
2. blogging
3. being a hockey/soccer mom

3 things you want to do really badly right now:
1. Watch a good movie
2. Take a long weekend type of vacation in Vermont
3. Watch a football game with a group of friends

3 careers you're considering:
I am SO not considering any careers.

3 places you want to go on vacation:
1. Grand Cayman
2. Yellowstone
3. Alaska

3 kids names (either boy or girl):
1. Gillian
2. Ben
3. Maggie

3 things you want to do before you die:
1. Learn to waterski
2. Visit all 50 states
3. Watch my grandchildren swim in the lake I live on

2 people who have to take this quiz now:
1. Kate
2. Michelle

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Friday's Feast

Appetizer - If you could have a free subscription to any online service, which would you like to have? This is so boring it almost is embarrassing. But I'm picking consumer reports. zzzzzz. Hey wake up - it isn't that boring.

Soup - Describe your bathroom (furnishings, colors, etc.). My bathroom, newly painted purple with darker purple trim. The fixtures are almond and the so unhip brass. It's too bad, but chrome and white just never did much for me. The shower curtain? Plaid purple, green and yellowish. It's linen. Hardwood floor. The room is big for a house the size of ours, but I love it. It's so bright due, in no small part, to the three windows (with wooden blinds). It's the only bathroom in the house.

Salad - What does the shape of a triangle make you think of? Recycling.

Main Course - Name 3 things or activities that you consider to be luxuries. Someone to clean your home or cook your meals. A really nice boat and sleeping in.

Dessert - What was the last really great movie you watched? I'm indecisive so I'm giving you three. Donnie Darko, City of God and Kill Bill Volume II.

Things I am Thankful for....

That the color yellow, when describing gumballs, is banana flavored and NOT lemon.

That Downy has discovered some really yummy scents.

The songs on this show.


Tuesday, January 11, 2005

They have angered the Weather Gods

Torrential downpours and mudslides in California, along with blizzards in their mountains. I always figured California was a lost cause what with earthquakes and forest fires and never thought twice about it. But now I know of one person out there in L.A. and I like her too. Hope you're holding up okay out there, Kate.

And Gem, with gale force winds and torrential rains. Strange, strange weather the world has been having.

But all this has me wondering...

Could this be all stemming from the Brad and Jennifer split? Could the earth itself be rebelling? Is it feeling deceived by their huggy, snuggly selves?

Why proclaim your love to Diane Sawyer to let it all fall apart?

Damn you Angelina Jolie for showing Brad the path to happiness lies not in keeping your soul mates blood in a vial around your neck but in parenting. (plus you are a scary man eating lady Angelina and I would lock up my own husband were you to show your face in these parts) Jen, was spending the new year with Courtney, David and little Coco just too much pressure? Be fair, Jen, Brad may look good, but he's getting kinda old to be just starting with the baby thing.

Stop the madness you two.


Monday, January 10, 2005

Don't say I never gave you anything

Not that I don't like to share, well, okay never mind that because I don't really like to share.

But where my kids are concerned I'm pretty generous. So, far be it for me to keep all of that glorious illness to myself. Oh no kiddies, here have some cough and malaise, you want some fever too do ya? Well, here's a double dose. Stuffy nose and headache, c'mon there's plenty to go around don't be shy...

The girlie won the fever contest we held yesterday with a 104.0 degree whopper. The grand prize? She was the one chosen by the gods of illness to vomit up her dinner.

We are home today, all feeling better and very thankful the weekend is over.

The boy had a hockey game on Saturday. Just wondering, but why do other coaches feel that cheating is completely acceptable practice? There are ALOT of rules regarding the players and their shifts and their ages. Why have a 10 year old in this league? Does it make beating the five to eight year olds that much more satisfying? And why send your best player out on every line? And then deny it to our coach? We all saw it dumbass. It might work if your best player wasn't also 2 feet taller than the little guys on our first line. Whatever. Good teaching the kids there fella.


Friday, January 07, 2005

So, rumor has it that football playoffs start this weekend.

Am I excited. No, not really. Yeah right.

At first I was a little mystified as to how the picture of Rodney Harrison showed up in duplicate up there in the header, but now I find myself *twice* as happy.

Although, Lisa, some advice on how to change that in the future would be MORE than welcome :)

Note to self

Husbands will be grouchy and totally unreasonable if they only get 2 hours of sleep in a 40 hour period.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer - Have you been sick yet this winter? If so, what did you come down with? Hey, this must've jinxed me. Right now I have a 101 degree fever, a beautiful cough, a killer headache and totally stuffed up nose.

Soup - What colors dominate your closet? Black, grey and navy blue.

Salad - How would you describe your personal "comfort zone"? Comfortable.

Main Course - On which reality show would you really like to be a contestant? The Amazing Race. I probably couldn't hang on the really physical portions of the race, towards the end it seems to get really hard, but it looks like a blast.

Dessert - Which holiday would you consider to be your favorite? That would be Christmas. I love the way my house feels when it's all decorated. I love when I find just the right gift for someone, the family get togethers all that stuff.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

By the Numbers

2 Times I fell asleep during the season premiere of Alias.

4 Times I was woken up today either by the phone or the dog

102.8 My high temperature today

3 Number of mini naps the girlie took today

4 Open boxes of tissues in this house

100.4 My current temperature with the help of Tylenol

1 Snow day cancellation of school so far this year

7 Inches of snow the husband had to shovel after work

5 Hours husband was home between work and plowing

8 Number of hours they expect him to work tomorrow after plowing all night

10:48 Time for bed

G'nite




Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Jerkus Maximus

On a lighter note -

This guy.....
Jonathan.
On the Amazing Race.

What an ass.



Monday, January 03, 2005

A river in Egypt and also here in Massachusetts


When the girlie was a baby she was diagnosed with congenital esotropia and as a result had strabismus. All very fancy terms for eye muscles that were too strong and kind of attached in the wrong spots resulting in crossed eyes.

Much to our surprise this had NOTHING to do with eyesight so eyedrops, glasses and patches were not necessary. What was necessary was surgery, the day before her first birthday. They do some mojo with the eye muscles cutting and reattaching. Without it she would've eventually gone blind in one of her eyes, her brain would've just shut the weaker one off because of the mixed signals.

One of the bonuses of this esotropia business is the apparent need for more surgeries as each little issue arises. We were told of five possible operations with the first being the most major. We just found out what have suspected for awhile, that she'll need a second operation. Round two is March 23rd. She has some depth perception problems and I can tell she has trouble with her left eye - and to make matters even better her pediatrician and the eye doctor aren't sure how well her vision is in this crazy left eye. They probably won't be able to figure it out until after the surgery and it's lined up and seeing like it should. At least that's my parental mommy guess - but I'm calling the opthamologist tomorrow just to make sure I shouldn't be having her vision rechecked for glasses.

The surgeon exudes confidence. I don't really like her at all - she has that 'didn't I already tell you this? *sigh*' attitude. On the other hand, she's good with the daughter and she's a wiz in the operating room. That's a trade off I'm willing to make. I'll be blocking it out of my mind for the next two months because, well, because denial is what I do really well.
Posted by Hello

Last week. Posted by Hello

Sunday, January 02, 2005

It's all over but the cryin'

Even with all the hubub I'm sorry to say that vacation is over. Back to the school/preschool/work grind tomorrow.

My husband's family is big into the Texas Hold 'Em stuff and because they're a huge family it seems like every get together has a table going now. Christmas day the husband won $100.00 and he won another $100.00 today. I can play poker but I haven't learned this game yet and I have no inclination to.

Christmas Day I went home early and missed the surprise homecoming of my husband's cousin from Afghanistan. His mom was there and cried for nearly an hour. He had alot of pictures and stories to tell and more importantly he's not going back -at least not right away. Well, he's going to Germany with the option to volunteer for more time in Afghanistan (which he will do) and then in July he'll report to another post to prepare for Iraq. This one's for you Mr. Bush *sticks up middle finger*.

I know he's relatively proud of what he's doing over there and I am VERY proud of him - lest you think I'm not a troop supporting girl. But do I really think we oughta be over there in the first place? No. I am a troop supporting, wishing them home safely, questioning the true reason for our involvement in Iraq girl.

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Child Rearing Experiment

Subject Male, 7yrs. Kind of short, but cute, especially with his new teeth. :)

The visit with the nephew went wonderfully. He was a little incredulous about the whole 'where's all your stuff' thing and the lack of Game Cube but all in all - a success.

Yesterday we went up to New Hampshah to help our best 'couple' friends unpack. They've moved. He found a job he loves, their kids are now in one of the best schools, their home up there is so much more than they could've gotten in Massachusetts for the same money and my friend Jess is very, very content. Best thoughts to them obviously, but c'mon, we SO didn't want them to go. We unpacked, washed out cabinets, arranged furniture and ate pizza and then listen to them tell us why WE should move up to the Granite State. Nice try guys - we love you to death - but this is my home and I can't imagine leaving it.

The toy withdrawal wasn't an issue yesterday, seeing as we weren't home. I did bring the Gameboy (without telling him) and hid it under the seat. I figured I could give him 1/2 hour each way of play time. Well, he never even mentioned it. Huh. He was granted 1/2 hour today to use how he sees fit. There was a little bit of whining but the threat of subtracting the remaining 15 minutes has quelched that.

I was in bed by 11:15 last night, today we're stacking firewood and enjoying the sixty degree weather and then we're off to a hockey practice. The day's activities will be capped off with Star Wars (the first one, although I believe it's really the fourth one). Happy New Year!!