So, my new computer is all built and is on it's way home to me.

Is it sad that I'm hoping it gets here prior to Thanksgiving so I have four days to load and play the Sims? And that I'm already thinking of how I can skip my housewiferly duties to get in more time to blog/upload pictures/play?

Merry Christmas to me.


In other news, report cards came out last week. My son, as I sort of knew would happen, made High Honors. My girl, had perfectly fine grades too. In all honesty, they weren't GREAT grades but they were good and her effort is top notch as is her attitude.

I'm thanking god I don't pay out for grades as my boy would be getting a huge payday these days. My thing is, how not to make my girl feel like she's being punished for getting less than a top notch report card if she just doesn't GET something that's being taught but she's trying? It seems like a can of worms. Plus she's at the age where she's not getting letter grades like A or B but rather 'at grade level standards' or 'approaching grade level standards' - things like that. Ugh.

So instead we go out to dinner, this term the boy chose the restaurant and next term the girlie will choose. My son got to order his choice off the menu (which, generally, we don't do because he's eleven and 70 pounds and there's not a lot of room for restaurant sized grown up portions on a frame that size) and my daughter got to pick an appetizer and all was right in the world.

A prime example of how my daughter attempts to answer a reading comprehension question -

The story is about a talking wolf and it takes place at noon.

One of the questions asks if the wolf was hungry. Which, naturally, she answered yes to even though there was no talk of food in the story.

Why?

Here's what she told me: Noontime is LUNCHTIME. Plus he's a wolf and they're always hungry.



How do I argue with that?

I'm not sure how many of you brave the Black Friday crowds. Usually, it's been a tradition at my in-laws that after dinner we peruse the fliers and while they all just look and 'ooh and aw' over the deals to be had - I make my game plan for the next day.

This year, however, I sort of got a jump on it.

Check this out.

There is no disposable income this year, no picking up something that I think the kids might like. At least as far as my son is concerned. We had the 'if you ask for expensive gifts you get far fewer things to open' discussion yesterday. Again.

My daughter, on the other hand, has a Christmas list with 63 things on it. Some she'll get for sure (this book, for instance) other things will never cross our doorstep. Strangely enough, she put down a few random things that have been in the back of my mind for her that I thought she'd enjoy - a pink bean bag chair? a small sewing machine? A stage for her puppet shows?

I've always thought that my son is more like me, that I understand where he's coming from more than I do my daughter. I think I might be wrong.

Things I am enjoying that I can't show you photos of because I don't have a card reader on my antique laptop:

I just found a brand new Nok Hockey game at a local consignment shop for less than half the regular price. Score! Merry Christmas son.

Embroidery hoops that look like frames. I found these at a yard sale last year and I've been holding on to them thinking I'd come up with a use for them sooner or later. I'm working on a few things for my daughter's room and these are perfect.

Wall decals from the dollar store. They just peel off and they're flowery and adorable and perfect for a little section of wall in my girl's room.

Four cords of split, seasoned firewood. We've yet to use a drop of heating oil this year and I'm hoping it'll be December before we turn the furnace on. Granted, some mornings there's a bit of a chill in here but we don't have much time to lounge around and if we do? Fleece blankets for everyone. Snuggly.

This fall I've come down with a sick addiction to The Hills. Lauren, Audrina (steer clear of Justin!), Whitney, Brody....love them all. Except Spencer. Dear god, could anyone be more of an asshole?

I just watched the movie Hard Candy last night and when I saw the little FearNet logo in the bottom of the screen I got worried because I don't usually enjoy scary movies or anything that keeps you 'on the edge of your seat'. But I like Ellen Page (from Juno) and I figured I could just shut it off if I got all stressed out. Well, I have to say...definitely not for the squeamish but I totally liked it.

Two and a half weeks until we get our Christmas tree!

1. Political show - I used to love the Daily Show. Okay, I still love the Daily Show but The Colbert Report has totally grown on me.

2. Picnic food - Fruit. The first time we get our hands on fresh strawberries and blueberries? Yum.

3. Mixed drink - In a bar? Margarita. At home? Grape vodka & lemonade or Stoli vanilla & diet coke.

4. U.S. President - John Adams.

5. Kind of student to teach - Egads. Jen had the perfect answer. None. I have zero patience for teaching anyone anything.

6. Hobby you do or wish you still did - I read and do some embroidery. I wish I could knit better than I do, but I struggle with mistakes...when I make them I can't fix them and I get frustrated waiting for help.

7. Sports commentator - Don & Remy are definitely number one. Then there's Al Michaels and I'm partial to Gil Santos too.

8. Sport to watch on TV - You must mean sports, as in plural. I love a good football game or baseball game. I'll be honest though, I only watch baseball if the Sox are playing and I only watch basketball occasionally. These days? Hockey is winning out. Bruins hockey to be exact. After watching my son's game go from skittish first steps and puck chasing to smooth crossovers and quick wrist shots it's a joy to sit down and watch a game with him.

9. Animal to have as a pet - A dog. *sigh* We're not ready to jump back into pet ownership yet. We dogsat a few weeks ago for my sister in law and it was great having a dog around. Except that the dog we watched was a seven year old, well behaved golden retriever and not a lunatic labrador puppy or a super cute french bulldog that maybe your husband doesn't really want.

10. Halloween costume you have worn - A fisherman.

11. Kind of dessert - Pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

12. Comic strip - The Far Side.

13. Style or make of footwear - Summer? Flip flops and slip on sneakers. Winter? Clogs and regular sneakers.

14. Ice cream flavor - Chocolate peanut butter cup. I"m keeping this one, Jen.

15. College or university president - Um, I'm neither.

16. Internet news source - Sadly, comcast.net. It's my home page.

17. Vacation spot - The beach. Thankfully, they're close by.

18. Wine - No thanks, instant headache. Plus I just can't get over the fact that it doesn't TASTE good.

19. Way to waste time instead of working - Interneting.

20. Student excuse for late work - I can't even remember.

21. Reality show - At this point, it's pretty much down to watching Survivor OnDemand. Oh. And this one probably doesn't count because it's hardly reality but I'm throwing it in here anyway...The Hills. Believe me, I KNOW how bad it is. But I cannot stop. And sometimes the Bachelor(ette) shows too. If I remember they're on.

22. Jewelry on a man - I really like gold chains and link braclets. Oh and those magnet, Q-Ray bracelets are pretty awesome too. ACK! Puh-leeze. A wedding band and maybe a watch.

23. Pizza topping - Sausage & mushroom or pepper & onion.

24. Children’s movie - Hmmm, I'd probably have to say Mary Poppins.

25. Celebrity you wish would retire - I wouldn't mind never seeing Jim Carrey in a comedy again. I'm not a huge fan of Denzel Washington or Julia Roberts either.

That's all I've got. Consider yourself tagged if you'd like.

I have to say, I'm not a fan of autumn. Maybe I used to like it but now it just seems like a stop gap between summer and winter. Once it's too cold to swim in the pond? We look forward to skating on it. Until then, we've got soccer.

I tend not to talk to many people at the soccer fields where my girl plays rec league soccer. I listen to them talk to each other but I'm not much of a joiner. Her team is undefeated, mostly due to two superstar little boys that play virtually the entire game and score eighty percent of the goals.

Although the coach's son did tell my daughter that his dad said the best three players on the team are 1. His son, 2. Another boy, M and 3. My girl - she was tickled pink but I'm not at all into the coach confiding in his kid about who's good and who's not plus it's blatently obvious because these kids get WAY too much playing time, my daughter included.

But apparently, rumors are swirling about our team - that we've been sneaking another player on the field and playing with an extra kid out there and stomping all over the competition. Last week we played a team that's coached by my daughter's dome soccer coach. The parents were falling all over themselves to make sure we could hear them complaining about us. And then, when we won, the parents on OUR team were falling all over themselves to make sure they were heard congratulating themselves (the kids were still on the field) about beating the other undefeated team with the super loud coach and wasn't it good that the super loud coach finally lost while our super quiet coach got another win.

The whole time I'm thinking, dudes - our coach kind of sucks. Do you not see him short shifting your kids so that mine (and his) can play more? Have you heard him congratulating a kid on a goal and then telling the kid that he didn't even see it? Did you go to the practice that the kids just stood there for twenty minutes while he explained to three kids how to do one drill (and yes, I did too time it - I'm used to hockey and my husband used to ask me how long the kids were waiting in line during his practices)? He doesn't sub the kids, doesn't tell them to pass and rarely tells them where to play. Plus I have to deprogram my daughter before her dome games so she doesn't pull the same moves during her indoor that her rec coach praises her for (Take it all the way, C! Just GO!)

I know, I know. Knocking the volunteer coach is bad form. Mostly, I'm stunned about these parents who are so worried about getting a win in U8 soccer. I mean, it's an eight week, rec league soccer program. If they get this worked up at soccer they'd probably couldn't handle the excitement of youth hockey.

I'm totally contemplating a new blog address. I've hated this one since I typed it in to blogger over four years ago and soon found out I was stuck with it. I'll stick with Blogger, lord knows if I had to type in wordpress or typepad after my name I may never come back.

So....new blog name....hmmmm.


I'm done with the voting. I went before nine a.m. and the small town thing works just fine for me...I know the ladies checking my address, no one uses photo ID and seeing myself as the 296th person in my precinct to vote? For a town the size of mine? Already a heck of a turnout.

The best thing about tomorrow? No more goddamned "I'm John McCain/Barack Obama/whoever and I approved this message".

Second best thing about tomorrow? Hopefully living in income tax free Massachusetts while I smoke a joint at the dog track.

I kid.

They'll never get rid of the income tax.

I have no great words of wisdom about the election. I am so NOT inspired by Obama, I find him lackluster, inexperienced and Democrats by nature are a little too spendy but I'm even more frightened of what might happen if more conservative supreme court justices are sworn in or if Sarah Palin would have to make even one, small policy decision. And more tax breaks for big corporations? It just doesn't make sense.

Anyway, blah, blah, blah.

Maybe Mig's son will run in a few years.