TV Meme

Instructions: Bold (or change the color) of all of the following TV shows which you've seen 3 or more episodes of in your lifetime. Bold and Italicize a show if you're positive you've seen every episode of it. If you want, add up to 3 additional shows (keep the list in alphabetical order).


24
3rd Rock from the Sun
7th Heaven
Adam-12
Aeon Flux
A.L.F
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alias
Allo Allo
American Idol/Pop Idol/Canadian Idol/Australian Idol
America's Next Top Model/Germany's Next Top Model
Angel
Arrested Development
Babylon 5
Babylon 5: CrusadeBattlestarGalactica (the old one)Battlestar Galactica (the new one)Baywatch
Beavis & Butthead
The Ben Stiller Show
Beverly Hills 90210
Bewitched
B.J. & The Bear
Bonanza
Bones
Bosom Buddies
Boston Legal
Boy Meets World
Brady Bunch
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Bug Juice
Casualty
Chappelle's Show
Charlie's Angels
Charmed
Cheers
China Beach
Columbo
Commander in Chief
Coronation Street
Coupling
Cowboy Bebop
Crossing Jordan
CSI
CSI: Miami
CSI: NY
Curb Your Enthusiasm - Only one season left to watch...
Dallas
Dancing with the Stars
Danny Phantom
Dark Angel
Dark Skies
Davinci's Inquest
Dawson's Creek
Dead Like Me
Deadliest Catch
Deadwood
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Designing Women
Desperate Housewives
Dharma & Greg - Why, WHY did I punish myself?
Different Strokes
Doctor Who (new Who)
Doctor Who (series 1-26)
Dragnet
Due South
Dungeons and Dragons (old cartoon)
Dynasty
Earth 2
Emergency!
Entourage
ER
Everwood
Everybody Loves Raymond
Facts of Life
Falcon Crest
Family Guy
Family Ties
Fantasy Island
Farscape
Fawlty Towers
Felicity
Firefly
Flamingo Road
Frasier
Friends
Full House
Futurama
Get Smart
Gilligan's Island - thought I had seen them all until I netflixed the first season - then...Surprise! All new to me..
Gilmore Girls
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Green Wing
Grey's Anatomy
Growing Pains
Gunsmoke
Happy Days
Head of the Class
Highlander
Hill Street Blues
Hogan's Heroes
Home Improvement
Homicide: Life on the Street
House
I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
Invader Zim
Invasion
Iron Chef (Japan)
Iron Chef (USA)
Ironsides
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Favorite Show.
JAG
Jackass
Jeopardy
Joey
John Doe
Kate and Allie
Kath and Kim
Knight Rider
Knots Landing
La Femme Nikita
LA Law
Laugh-In
Laverne and Shirley
Law & Order
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: SVU
Little House on the Prairie, same thing as Gilligan, we THOUGHT we had seen them all
Lizzie McGuire
Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lost
Lost in Space
Love, American Style
M*A*S*H
MacGyver
Magnum P.I.
Malcolm in the Middle
Married...With Children
Melrose Place
Miami Vice
Mission Impossible
Monk
Moonlighting
Mork & Mindy
Murphy Brown
My Family
My Favorite Martian
My Life as a Dog
My Mother the Car
My So-Called Life
My Three Sons
My Two Dads - ACK! Greg Evigan!
Mysterious Cities of Gold
NCIS
Night Court - My dad used to love this, again...why did I watch too? ugh.
Nip/Tuck
Northern Exposure
Not the nine o'clock news
Numbers
One Tree Hill
OzParker Lewis
Can't Lose
Party of Five
Perfect Strangers- is this the one with Balki?
Perry Mason
Picket Fences
Pirates of Darkwater
Pokemon
Power Rangers
Prison Break
Profiler
Project Runway - Am now addicted
Psyche
Quantum Leap
Queer As Folk (US)
Queer as Folk (British)
Queer Eye For The Straight Guy
ReGenesis
Remington Steele
Rescue Me
Road Rules
ROME
Roseanne
Roswell
Samurai Jack
Saved by the Bell
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Scooby-Doo Where Are You?
Scrubs
Seinfeld
Sex and the City
Six Feet Under
Slings and Arrows
Smallville
Small Wonder
So Weird
South Park
Spaced
Spongebob Squarepants - it certainly FEELS like I've seen them all.
Sports Night
Square Pegs
St. Elsewhere
Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Enterprise
Stargate Atlantis - New season
Stargate
SG-1 -Newseason
Superman
Supernatural
Surface
Survivor- I know I've missed at least two or three episodes
Taxi
Teen Titans
Teletubbies
That Girl
That 70's Show
That's So Raven
The 4400
The Addams Family
The Andy Griffith Show
The A-Team
The Avengers
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Bionic Woman
The Colbert Report
The Cosby Show
The Daily Show
The Days And Nights Of Molly Dodd
The Dead Zone
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Flintstones
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Golden Girls
The Jetsons
The L Word
The Love
The Love Boat
Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mighty Boosh
The Monkees - One summer I watched them all. I think.
The Munsters
The Mythbusters
The O.C.
The Office (UK)
The Office (US)
The Pretender
The Prisoner
The Real World
The Shield
The Simpsons
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Smurfs
The Sopranos - working on Season Four
The Suite
Life of Zack and Cody
The Twilight Zone
The Waltons
The West Wing
The Wonder Years
The X-Files
Third Watch
thirtysomething
Three's Company
Top Gear
Twin Peaks
Twitch City
Upstairs, Downstairs
Veronica Mars
Wings
What Not To Wear (US)What Not To Wear (UK)
Whose Line is it Anyway? (US)Whose Line is it Anyway? (UK)
Witchblade
Will and Grace
Wonderfalls
Wonder Woman
Xena: Warrior Princess
Young Hercules

Wow, that's alotta TV. And wasted time...Dharma & Greg, Saved by the Bell, MASH (yes, I hate MASH)...and yet, I'm noticing shows that I wish I watched or watched more of(netflix queue, here I come) Veronica Mars, Smallville, House...

I added The Love Boat, BJ & the Bear and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. C'mon play along..

I'm not sure what to post today...

too lighthearted and I feel insensitive

too somber and I know I can never do it justice.

See you all tomorrow.

Hanging My Head in Shame

I have a confession.

We went to Newport today instead of watching the Pats.

We listened to some of the game, we love Gil. Look, there's my friend wearing his (2nd) superbowl ring. We know his daughter and she never tires of hearing us yell "IT'S GOOD! THE KICK IS GOOD!!!" Or maybe she does.



There are limited beautiful days left here in New England. Sure, autumn is all about the pretty, the harvesty but I do love the sun and surf. This is a picture from last year but change the bathing suits to tshirts and shorts and you pretty much get the idea. Oh, and add some kites, bubbles and Del's Lemondae.


See? How do the Patriots hold a candle to that?

On Notice

Seriously, did you watch Thursday night's game? Was he in every one? Every other one? I was sick of Peyton Manning BEFORE all of these commercials and now? Let's just say that he's not a great marketing tool for NFL Network. A tool maybe, but not a marketing tool.

And on a side note: Does Geraldo realize, that since he's totally off his rocker, that saying things like [Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart] "exist in a small little place where they count for nothing." doesn't help to make a case against either guy. Geraldo saying somthing like that makes the stuff Colbert and Stewart say look like downright gospel.

And onto the 4Runner. It's still in the shop. Not the original, dealer shop, oh no. It did go there first (hence the 12K price tag - for parts only), but after the guy tried selling me a new car just seconds after he told me that this one wasn't worth fixing, I smelled a rat and told him we'd be picking it up.

So I lied. A tow truck came and took it away to a transmission shop, whose name I took from the phone book. Not my usual M.O. when spending a gazillion dollars on repairs but desperate times call for desperate measures. Plus, when I called him back to ask him to pick the car up at the dealer's, he said "Hey Dad, when do you want to go get that Toyota?" A mechanic who works with his dad? Perfect. Or I hope so. I'm not a fan of a garage where the oldest employee is 23 or where the cashier takes your money and his fingernails are grease free. Uh-uh.

Sadly, Joe called me yesterday. The engine is also ill and engines aren't his thing. He almost let me tow it away to another, much more reputable but 20 miles away, Toyota dealer...with a warning to be careful, that he was worried I'd be throwing good money after bad (or is it the other way around) and that I should be able to get an estimate from them before I bring it in. He told me to stick to what I know about the problem and not let them bully me. (I, at this point, am beginning to like Joe, whose wife, he tells me, is a Kindergarten teacher)

He, in passing, mentioned that he had spoken to his friend, his engine fixin' friend whose name is Manny, and that it's probably a head gasket, because Manny knows all about these things, so make sure I tell them all that I know. I inquire if perhaps Manny would be interested in fixing my car...and Joe? He actually sounds pleasantly surprised. Of course, he says, I'll call him and bring your car over to him this morning and I won't charge you for anything until we hear what Manny has to say. (Did I mention that he's charging me only $100.00 for a tow and hours worth of work??) The name of Manny's shop? Manny's Family Automotive.

Could it be? Could I have actually, FINALLY, found some honest and honest-to-god mechanics? See, yesterday I said I wouldn't jinx myself anymore...and here I go again...optimism is just so hard to beat down.

School Daze

Hey, *knocks on monitor* you're still here? Thanks for your patience. Blogging will resume on a fairly regular basis from now on, unless... No. No unless, we jinxed ourselves last week. I won't make that mistake again.

Who am I kidding? Of course I will.

The son started school on Tuesday, he's graduated to a new school. He was more nervous than excited...but god forbid he should let on that school might actually be *gasp* okay. He rarely has anything too positive to say and yet he excels. And enjoys it. Stubborn boy.

He finished up his suggested summer reading about a month ago. But the postcard? To send to the librarian? He raced around on the first morning of school to write that paragraph.

Like mother, like son. Procastination is an art.

His bus comes at 7:30 a.m. Ugh. The bus picks him up at where our little road meets the main road and while I would love to not have to go, I just can't do it. The apron strings are like those extenda-leashes...they just keep getting longer....

I haven't gone to the bus stop in my pajamas. Yet. It's only the third day, this will all change by March.

The girlie began life at the big kid school today. An apple pinned to her shirt, a bus tag tied with yarn around her neck. She was smiling but nervous when I pulled into the parking lot in the smokin' hot (that's not the radiator I'm tawkin' about) 1985 Metallic Blue Plymouth Voyager. (it's the in-laws vehicle - mainly they use it for Home Depot trips and the dump. Oh JOY! - But it runs a heck of a lot better than the Toyota at this point so I'll shut up now).

The worst feature of the Voyager? The missing hubcap? No. The fact it's an 85 Voyager? No. It's the 'Dubya '04' sticker plastered on the back. I'm thinking of covering it tomorrow. Somethings are just to horrible to bear.

Her kindergarten teacher was my husband's first grade teacher. Which is a source of never ending joy to the girlie. I'm sure the teacher will like the daily reminder from her of just HOW LONG she has been on the job. The lady doesn't like email but she appears to still like children, which after 125 years of teaching, is admirable.

I will bore you with car talk tomorrow...There would be pictures but they are on film. My god, what a backwards transition that is. Film. And developing. Holy motherofgod. Since we're hemmoraging cash we might as well just spring for a new camera...that's not a very convincing argument is it? Still, I'm betting I can get the camera purchase approved. Don't judge, we suck with money and $300.00 plus $ATonofMoney just doesn't seem that bad anymore.

I'm eavesdropping on the firefighter's training that's taking place just outside my office door...did you know milk could be a hazardous material? Large quanitites could kill off aquatic life. Not to mention creating a chocolate chip cookie craving of epic proportions.

And on the last note, I am ready for some football. And will be cheering for whoever's playing Pittsburgh. Unless it's Indy (which I know it isn't) - because Indianapolis? Stinks.

When it rains...

The first estimate: $12,000 plus.

To fix a 2001 Toyota 4Runner that I bought. Last year. And am still paying for.

holy fucking shit.

I'd like to propose a toast

This morning at breakfast my girlie raises her cup of milk and says, "Cheers to going to Newport!". I open a handy bottle of water and clink her cup. My boy laughs and then refuses to cheer.

Pretending to be horribly insulted I tell him that if he refuses a toast he'll bring bad luck to the wish and when he grinned I went all Urban Legendy on him an made like this was all commonly known superstition.

He says "What? We won't go to Newport?"

I say "Maybe not, maybe something will happen. Something bad luck."

He disbelieving me says "What?"

I say "Maybe my car will break down."

Note to reader: Foreshadowing text will be noted with green font.

At this point we're all laughing. And thinking of how bad luck might hit us in other ways...

"Runescape might go down. For a whole day!" Ahhhhhhhhh!

"You could drop your english muffin" ewwwww.

We agreed. All sorts of bad luck could befall us.

An hour or two later, the girlie was riding her bike (She dumped the training wheels a few days ago - Hurray for Girlie! There'd be a picture but the camera, she is abroken.) with her brother. I was making the beds and instead of riding where she was supposed to she took the corner and headed down the road. Our road is so NOT a busy one. It's dirt and it's short and there's not allota people down here. Anyway.

I hear hollering. I figure she's mad because he keeps flying by her and not waiting for her and she's had enough. The hollering continues. I run outside and here she comes with the neighbor, blood streaming from her nose through her hand. She was crying but not hysterical and we washed her up she was as good as new. Or almost. Her nose is sore, bruised and a bit swollen. (Then again, how do you tell if someone has an actual broken nose? Ida know.) Again, no picture.

A bit later, they're back to their bikes. This time it's the boy. He wipes out and screams bloody murder. I run, only to discover that he's scraped up a bit but not mortally wounded. I wonder what happens if he gets hurt in front of his friends? He freaks out about even the most minor of wounds. A splinter? He has to be asleep in order for me to pull it out. Seriously. Anyway, we washed him up and he was as good as new. Or almost, he's scraped and bruised and I was worried about his zero pain tolerance the minute the scrapes hit the salty water of Newport.

I needn't have worried.

At lunch time we pack the car for the afternoon - cooler, kites, boogie boards, letterbox clue - and we were off.

Seven miles was as far as we got.

A crazy rattle from the engine department and I look at the dial...Temperature redlining on H.
I pull over, call the inlaws for a ride and AAA for a tow.

There is transmission fluid in the radiator overflow. Not good.

But tonight we are laughing about just how bad our luck could've been. "A bridge, we could've been on a bridge! In traffic! With no cell phone!" Now we're cranking Pearl Jam & Simple Plan and then we're watching Little House on the Prairie. Is it morbid to keep hoping that THIS will finally be the one where Mary goes blind? Yeah, I thought so.

Well, my weeklong vacation from work is nearly over and we have yet to do a thing. I suppose we've done many things, just none of them very interesting or very fun.

The kids are fairly well set for school. The boy will wear shorts for the first few weeks so that was easy, he has plenty. But there is a new wardrobe development this year. He wants to wear jeans. He hasn't worn jeans, with the exception of trips to Maine where we spend lotsa time in the woods, in four years. Since kindergarten. Always those swishy pants or cargo type khakis. And this year jeans! Hurray! I really have no idea why I'm happy about this. I mean, who cares? You do? Well thank you.

I'm debating our plans for today...a little letterboxing maybe or a trip to the beach...summer's fading fast in these parts, the pond's cooling down and in a few weeks will be c-c-c-c-cold.

Hockey starts this weekend so we've got standing weekend plans for the next eight months. (Eight months. It sounds ludicrous doesn't it?) But because we're in the bargain league (it's over $1,000 cheaper than the next cheapest one which still freaks me out and horrifies me as to just how much people will pay to have their 8 year old skate) we don't get scheduled times. Well, they're scheduled but the schedule varies from week to week. every week. This week? Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Next week it might be Tuesday night, Saturday early morning (read 5:50 a.m.) and Sunday afternoon. Generally, we get at least a week's notice about the scheduling...sometimes when they're feeling generous we get a full month's notice. It's great for planning things like birthday parties and such. Or not, like right now there's nothing on the schedule past this Sunday. They seem to like variety, to keep us guessing. Maybe it's no wonder we've become such good friends with the hockey folk, we all keep the same hours.

Oh. and my digital camera has officially bitten the dust. I. Am. Bummed.

All good things must come to an end

They've made it home safely. I met them at our friends house for some boiled lobsters and corn on the cob. Their daughter said it was the perfect way to end the summer and I agreed. And then I took it right back.

END THE SUMMER?!?!?!

Um, no sorry. Not ready for that quite yet. Football is a nice addition to the sports viewing schedule but I'm not looking forward to oven cooking, school lunch making and the like.

Besides, my kids don't start school until after labor day. I'm not on the bandwagon with the whole starting school in August phenomenon. And quite frankly, my boy checks out of school mentally right after Memorial Day Weekend, as do I. And according to his teacher, as does the entire class.

But the world doesn't wait for me. The kids have their teacher assignments, the boy got his list of supplies (dry erase markers? really? - does she know they stain?). Backpacks have been purchased. Today we're on a quest for new sneakers. I just want to drive by and stick my tongue out at the school.

In which Jenny makes a remarkable comeback from the grouchiness that plauged her last weekend

My house is quiet.

(Not exactly, the Pats are on TV and are schooling the Cardinals right now).

The fact that it's night time has zero to do with it.

My husband took the kids to New Hampshire (which is good because I can't keep the kids inside or bugsprayed forever and *bonus* two human cases of EEE have been confirmed) for the weekend and I. Am. Alone.

I've only been semi productive, getting the fall clothes out, weeding a bit, grocery shopping, framing some photos...

There's also been a fair share of cringing as the Sox have dropped three in a row to the Yankees, some Sims playing and movie watching.

The husband went up with another dad and his three kids, driving seven hours in a Suburban (two in traffic). The last time I heard from them they were well into NH with another two hours to go. They don't have any cell service up there in moose country so I'm going with the theory that no news is good news.

My son says to me "Dad and Coach M (the other dad was my son's hockey coach for the past few years)?!?!, That's it? There is going to be very little parenting going on this weekend!"

Which, sometimes, is a good thing. Especially after the PMS'y crabapple camping trip we just had.

I'm glad I have some time to myself, I feel like I've caught my breath and gotten a handle on things around here but tomorrow I know I'll be puttering around, killing time until they get here. Or maybe not, I've still got a wall to paint, an errand to run and there's still a movie or two with my name on them.

Oh, hey... have any of you guys ever pitched? y'know, pitched a baseball? because if you have ever even TOUCHED a baseball you probably have just as good of a shot at beating the Yanks as the Sox bullpen. C'mon up to Boston, give it a shot.

holy what the fuck. 15,761,321 runs in three games. I'd say it can get much worse but you know what will happen. It will get much worse. But honestly, I really don't believe it will. I'm optimistic about tomorrow's game. Why, I don't know, especially because I'm a glass half empty kind of girl. Whatever the case, I'll be watching. Maybe if we had a team full of Jewish guys....*


*Okay, I'll add here that the whole Jewish thing is a joke that anyone watching the game the other night with Dennis Leary and Lenny Clarke in the booth will understand. "Take that Mel!"

In which Jenny bitches and moans and go on and click the red x if you're looking for something sunshiney

the camping trip:
An idea, broached by the husband whose actual words were something like: "What, doya want to sit around and do nothing all next weekend too?" I murmur something about being okay with that (because sitting around doing nothing generally evolves into something unplanned and good timeish). He says "well then I'll take the kids camping, you can stay home".

and here is where i should've shut my trap and went upstairs to ponder my good fortune.

Instead I say that I'll take the kids down midweek so that we can get a few extra days in. Good weather's in the forecast and whathaveyou, I've done the solo camping thing before - it's fine.

Well, the weather cooperated but the kids did not.

Children, however, seem to forgive and forget quicker than quick. Argue over a colored pencil? A flashlight? A juice bag? A bike ride? (and oh, if it were only these four things life would've been so good) Done and over. No grudge holding here. At least where they're concerned. I, on the other hand, am exhausted by the cumulative bickerfest and sighing. The neverending sighs.
"Can you stand your bike up next to the tree instead of lying it down?" Sigh.

"Can you walk your sister to the bathroom?" Sigh.

"Can you bring me your flashlite so I can change the batteries?" Sigh.


My god children, I'm not asking you to handwash the clothes, milk the cows and 'till the fields.

Yesterday and today haven't been much better. In fact, as a result, we missed their dad's last hockey game, have taken away the t.v. and all visits with friends.

So who's really punished? me.

Did I mention the fact that my husband VOLUNTEERED to work this past Saturday? While I was on the big 'his idea' camping trip? errrgh. It was only a few hours and he was pretty sheepish about it, I acted way more put out then I actually was. In order to maximize the guilt a bit - he knew the kids were being cretins. So I let him bike ride the canal while I sat and read in the breezy sunshine. He had to tow my daughter for the last mile. Revenge is sweet.

Tomorrow, punishments be damned. We're heading to the beach for some solar therapy.

My husband's last words:

"Packing isn't really that much work - you just make it that way"

And then I beat him silly with a tent pole.


Last night, we head to the campground. It's not too far so we have the luxury of bringing down a load of firewood and the bikes a day early... and I got some adult help with the tent setup.

We get to the office. I booked the wrong campsite. damndamndamn. same site number - different area. And it's a yucky site. The park ranger is, quite possibly, now one of my top five favorite people - he took me out of the scrub brush, gravel, surrounded by people site and found a HUGE site, surrounded by pines trees on the top of a hill for me. Love the ranger.

My husband has the lovely habit of sitting in his chair, complaining about the Red Sox (no lack of material there) and WATCHING me pack. Um, no. So I kindly say that maybe he'd be more comfortable watching the game upstairs. Or maybe it wasn't so kindly and more along the lines of " If you value your life maybe you should just go upstairs to watch the game because I'm kinda busy here and it's 11:18 p.m and I'm not close to done." Within ten mintues he was gone.

And he loaded up the car for me this morning. So he's redeemed himself. Oh! Double redemption: He told me that I could go home this weekend if I wanted and he would stay camping with the kids. I'm totally thinking about that last one...we'll see.

Off we go...

so here I am.

blogging from work.

one horse has died from EEE.

we have been sprayed with pesticide.

my neighbor was bitten by a mosquito an hour after they flew over.

i'm taking the kids and heading to the cape for a day or four.

sigh a nora.

maybe I'll post later, after i've packed some...

Maybe Javy Lopez is getting a little 'subsidy' from Steinbrenner. A little something extra every week to ensure that he will SUCK at the plate. And what's happening to Timlin? *sigh*

We took in a little semipro ball yesterday. Or maybe it's not semipro, but the tickets were free and it was baseball with friends so we went...and enjoyed.

And how do I now know the girlie would never last with me at Fenway? 47,252 trips to A. Face Painting, B. the bathroom, C. The Snack Bar. Cripes. But she left with a butterfly painted on her face, a belly full of cotton candy and a smile, so I guess it all worked out.

After the game they let you run the bases, very cool. For the kids.

And at $8.00 a ticket it's cheaper than a movie. Who pays $9.00 to see You, Me and Dupree??? Really.



I wish I could put into words just how much I hate, no, HATE to grocery shop with both of my kids in tow. They don't really beg for things, it's more a general and constant pushing of my buttons. I have to go and I'm dreading it.

Current countdowns?

4 weeks and one day until fourth grade.

4 weeks and three days until kindergarten.

2 weeks and some days until hockey starts. (note: that's the boy counting down - he thinks we've wrecked him by making him take four months off)

1 week and four days until the husband and children head to the Granite State for a long weekend. And I? Do not.

Deadly viruses and a Chicken

You know what's fun?

Convincing yourself that, as a result of shoddy parenting, (not applying bugspray to your kids during a cookout and them getting some where in the neighborhood of 25 mosquito bites each) your daughter's mysterious stomach bug with a slight fever and big time lethargy is actually not a harmless virus but Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

Yeah.

Infected mosquitos, the human biting ones this time, were found in town.

They're spraying but apparently not until Monday.

From some website I found while googling for the spray details:

Pine duBois, executive director of the Jones River Watershed Association, was alarmed to learn that spraying would begin so soon.

`I think it's an extreme tactic to take, and I think that they have a long way to go to prove that it's safer for us to experience aerial bombardment of that nature than to take precautions to protect ourselves," she said.

Since 30% of people who get infected DIE and another high percentage have to be institutionalized because of severe brain damage I'd venture a guess and say Miss duBois hasn't had her daughter covered in bug bites, doubled over with belly cramps and lying on the couch glassy eyed while the mom is staring at EEE fact sheets online and crying a bit. And hoping with all of her might that we are not the 1 in 54,000,000 statistic, as was a five year old girl from this neck of the woods last summer.

Aerially bombard me anyday.

P.S. The girlie is MUCH better this morning. And so am I.

Oh. and a bird for a bird:


An old picture from an old post.

A beer butt chicken. One of the favorite meals in this house. Pathetically easy and almost foolproof. And now I know what we'll have for dinner tomorrow.


Chicken, with a side of DEET. Yum-may!

A night at the Park

I could, and probably will at another time, wax poetic about baseball and sports in general but I'm reserving this post for the magic that is Fenway Park.

I'm a life long Sox fan. Never obsessively so. I don't score the games and remember plays from years past, well, with the exception of Billy Buck's unforgettable move in '86, the on the mound conference between Pedro and Grady, the underhand toss to end the series...those are burned into my head. But I do love those guys, love to watch them play - listen to them talk baseball - love the fan stories - the whole atmosphere. In New England you only have to say "How 'bout them Sox?" and you're likely to get someone who will be happy to commiserate with you. Partly because no matter how well they play you're always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Bats are hitting? Well then, the middle relief pitchers are stinking. (See last night's game, ehem.) It's the way of the Sox. And one good win or Ortiz walkoff homer has us coming down with a case of pennant fevah. It's a roller coaster ride.

Seeing a game at Fenway is a experience reserved for a lucky 35,000 or so. Ticket prices were wild for a time, but seem to have calmed so I thought this would be the year to take the boy. He's nine, likely to remember it, so I clicked up Ebay and bid away.

I'm so glad I did.


Arriving three hours before game time has it's advantages. We waited in line to make a donation to the Boston Food Bank in exchange for some autographed photos and then figured we'd get to take in batting practice. The boy was chomping at the bit to get inside the park. I have to say, I didn't think the boy would get it. I really didn't.






But one other Red Sox moment I'm making sure I never forget? The look on his face as he ran up the concrete ramp in the concourse and turned the corner. His first glimpse at the park, in the perfect afternoon light. It literally stopped him in his tracks.

Jered Weaver, a rookie pitcher for the Angels threw him a ball during batting practice. It doesn't get much better than that. Well, okay, maybe it does. I'm sure if he had a choice it would've been given to him by David Ortiz but really? He's barely put the thing down since.

We hung around the visitor's dugout for awhile, kids hollering for an autograph. No one had any luck but the kids were all talking baseball and comparing stuff - baseball cards and past autograph success. Like little men, more than one of these boys congratulated my guy on his first ball game and wished him good times. Instant comeraderie.

He recommends the Fenway Franks.

Note from me: Do NOT buy them in the grocery store and think you're getting the real deal. Blech.









It was a beautiful night for a game.
















The Pesky Pole.














Timlin and Mirabelli in the bullpen. I didn't get a picture of the tomato plants. Yep. Tomato plants in the bullpen. It's Fenway.














Now, I wouldn't want you thinking that everyone there stands in awe. So totally untrue. There are dutiful wives, one that I happened to chat with admitted that she generally FALLS ASLEEP at the games. She had third row seats next to the dugout. I told her there was a cozy spot out in right field for her if she'd like to trade. Her husband laughed, she looked like she might've taken me up on it. Couldn't hurt to offer, right?

There's also alot of beer flowing. More than I, foolishly, expected. There was alot of stumbling and a few almost fights but meh, there's idiots everywhere.




Speaking of idiots...yes, that IS me singing. How can you not? I just don't get it.
Link to idiocy: click here.

The Sox ended up losing, but we didn't even talk about it...as if the score was an afterthought. And really it was.

Wow.

What a day at the Park. Wicked great.

Until I return with photos I'll leave you with a few observations:

1. Men. No matter how muscley you THINK you are....don't drive your jeep while shirtless.

2. Ladies. You're at the ballpark. In the city. One of the oldest ballparks in the oldest cities, where even the dirt dates back to Babe Ruth. Um, what posesses so many of you to wear skimpy flip flops or those wedge sandals where your feet have slid halfway out the front of the sandals and your toes are all hanging over the front edge...touching the ground or getting stepped on by scores of drunkards?

3. Cell phone users. Great, you've made it to Fenway. Now do me a favor and don't call everyone you know to tell them, "Dude. I've got bitches and beers. I'm set. They're all over me." I'm assuming he meant the beers because he had no bitches. Just an empty seat between him and his friend. Heh. Really though, shut off the damn phones.

Off to work...see you later...

Hey Look - I'm Posting

So, it's been awhile. At least it feels like awhile to me, especially because y'all are kind enough to update just about every day and I'm clocking in at three times a week over here.

This week was all party preparation.

Today is all Fenway Park.

WooT!

If you're not busy around 8:05 p.m. - flip on ESPN and look for us.

We're sitting next to the Angels bullpen in right field with a sign that says "Hit One Here PAPI" :)

Lists

A checklist, from LeeMarie:

Instructions:
Put an "X" by all the things you've done, or remove the "X" from the ones you have not

( ) Smoked a cigarette - I've only ever taken one puff - no inhaling. I'm not counting it.
(x) Drank so much you threw up
( ) Crashed a friend's car
(x) Stolen a car - well, it wasn't so much stolen as it was borrowed without permission. Before we had actual driver's licenses.
(x) Been in love
(x) In love now
(x) Been dumped
(x) Been laid off/fired (Fired. And thank GOD)
(x) Quit your job
( ) Been in a fist fight
(x) Snuck out of your parent's house
(x) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) Been arrested
( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Lied to a friend
(x) Skipped school
( ) Seen someone die
( ) Been to Canada
(x) Been to Mexico - (see question two)
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been lost (I'm sure I have been, but I can't remember it)
(x) On the opposite side of the country
(x) Gone to Washington, DC
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Felt like dying (gotta love teenage angst)
(x) Cried yourself to sleep (again with the angst)
(x) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Sang karaoke
( ) Paid for a meal with only coins (there WAS recently a coin counting stop for some sour cream, though)
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose.......
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue (every winter - the big ones are best)
(x) Danced in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus (my mom saved them all - I love her for that)
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(x) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Made a bonfire on the beach
(x) Crashed a party - (we joined another wedding reception after leaving an entirely different post wedding reception afterparty and we were totally welcomed, sheesh, that was a good night)
(x) Gone roller-skating (not for a long time because I like the next one better)
(x) Ice-skating

Details ~

Any nicknames? Jenn, Jenny
Mother's name? Brenda
Father's name? David
Any siblings? A stepsister
What is your favorite drink? Diet Coke
Body piercing? Ears count. Right?
How much do you love your job? More than I'd expect
A Favorite vacation spot? Oceanside or Lakefront
Ever been to Africa? No.
Ever steal any traffic signs? No, but there's one in town that I want.
Ever been in a car accident? Yep.
2 Doors or 4 Doors? Four
Favorite pie? Lemon Meringue
Favorite number? 2
Favorite movie? Wow, there isn't just one. I loved Kill Bill, Finding Neverland and City of God and I could write an entire list here so I'll stop.
Favorite holiday? Christmas
Favorite food? Boiled Lobster and Corn on the Cob
Favorite day of the week? Saturday.
Favorite brand of body soap? I use Sundrop Soaps (they're from a local girl who makes her own)
Favorite Show? Tie. Deadwood and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
What do you do to relax? Read, watch a good movie, a swim in the lake works wonders too
What do you enjoy receiving? Good Old Fashioned Mail. Email's aren't too bad either.
Farthest place this message will reach? Um, one of those Next Blog clickers...
Message to your friends reading this? hi.
How do you see yourself in 10 years? Getting my son ready to go back to college and telling my daughter why she's grounded. Again.
What time is it now? 11:15 p.m.

*Yawn*

So, the Sox were on at ten p.m. Friday night.

I made a fair attempt. Cracked open an icy cold caffinated beverage around 10:05...
Why does caffiene only work sometimes?
I watched more than half of the game only to be woken up by the air conditioner turning on.

And Jerry Remy saying "...if you fell asleep on the couch tonight you didn't miss much..."

Well, alrighty then.



My boy is still into raptory type birds. Hawks, eagles and such. He wants to start a bird watching club, called *drumroll please* Eagle Eyes. Witty, no? He also wants me to drive him around for the sole purpose of trying to spot hawks or kestrels or whatever. I nixed the special trips to see birds and told him just to keep his eyes peeled on the way to the grocery store.



I've taken picture after picture and my memory card is finally full. Now if only I could find the camera. It's probably with the DVD remote that I've been missing for two weeks...under the couch, behind the chess set or something, whooping it up and choking on dust bunnies.

The husband has decided that because last year's hockey cookout was a success that we should do it all again.

Superb idea.

He wants a bash. Lotsa people, food and drinks. I want fewer people and food but lotsa drinks. I think he invited half of his hockey team the other night so it looks like I'm losing this one. And it's next weekend. Eight days.

But. The first batch of limoncello will be ready in six more days, so that's a plus.

On the bright side, the really, really, really bright side...I just got two Red Sox tickets for the day after the cookout. I am beside myself. And I didn't even have to sell a kidney or my first born. WOOHOO I. Am. Going. To. Fenway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although, these days I would just about GIVE my first born away to gypsies or the carnival if they needed someone who would pester them endlessly and pick fights with any little girls that are, say, around five years old and totally minding their own business. Any takers?

Best laid plans

So, I was thinking of heading up to York, Maine or something for the next day or two. Just an overnight trip, to a beachy town. I planned on lots of sand, sun and maybe some ice cream. Tomorrow looks perfect for such an outing. Friday? Not so much.

And apparently, hanging around outside around dusk is ill advised too. This town is fairly close by. Okay, really close by. From what I read, this type of skeeter prefers birds to humans. Super. I wish I knew that before I filled my FIVE birdfeeders.


Going into town? Yeah, not a great idea either.

A decision has been made.

Summer is for enjoyin'.

Nothing is getting accomplished on the weekends lately. Nothing. No laundry, no lawn mowing, no nuthin'.

We spent yesterday baking in the sahara of our friends treeless backyard. Holy moly it felt like we were cooking in the sun under a giant magnifying glass. But it only felt like that when you were out of the pool.

You know the heat is unbearable when you WANT to share a pool with 25 shrieking kids.

I was perusing the internet for limoncello recipes because...well, yum...when I noticed that a good recipe will take a MONTH to steep. Um, cable internet is too slow for me...a month for a drink? I will start it tomorrow. There's also a week long recipe, starting that tomorrow too. Right after I buy a lemon zester. And two giant bottles of vodka.

Scenes from this weekend:

My son: on the roof outside his window because someone threw a tube on the roof and then, in order to get it down, he threw his basketball on the roof. And then he just HAD to get them both.

My daughter: sitting and talking on the trampoline and running and swimming for hours with her best friend. That she won't admit is her best friend, because he's a boy.

Me: blissfully unaware of our friend M. sneaking up and then knocking me into the pool because I blindsided a him with a squirt gun mere moments before.

Husband: Sunburned. Has been nicknamed Bernie. As in Burnie. Who is out in the sun, cringing with every move, today at work.


Scenes from today:

Airconditioning, a movie, popcorn on the couch, a few lectures on decision making (no roof, use sunblock), work, camp, swimming, dinner, swimming.

A Big Pile O'Books

So yesterday I mentioned a little Borders craziness that overcame me this week. Sadly it's a recurring condition. I thought I was in remission but that damn "sale" caused a relapse.

These aren't all from one outing, my husband would cut up my driver's license and stop giving me gas money if they were.

Assination Vacation by Sarah Vowell - I heard the Partly Cloudy Patriot was a good read, but that wasn't on the list.

Pirate Hunter - The True Story of Captain Kidd by Richard Zacks - This has taken me FOREVER to read but it's good. Surprisingy good. And about Pirates. Plus I've put it down for two weeks to read other things and picked it back up and was still interested, so that's something.

Sex Lives of Cannibals by Maarten Troost - someone (bb?) recommended this and I figured, a travel book in summer? Absolutely.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - heard it was good, remains to be seen.

Faithful by Stephen King & Stewart O'Nan - Red Sox. 'Nuff said. Well, maybe not 'nuff... I consistently pick up the Surviving Grady book and read a week or so's worth of entries, especially when the sox are losing. It's all about keeping the faith. And laughing.

The Final Solution by Michael Chabon - I just finished Kavalier and Clay. And totally Loved. It. And now I want to devour everything he's written. yumm.

The Great Influenza by Jim Barry - love a good pandemic. A girl I know is gearing up for the bird flu. Seriously. She deserves her own post. Notice a said 'A girl I know' and not 'A friend of mine'. Big Difference.

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy - India. Sounds v. good, will probably wait until winter.

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk - totally horrified by the first 'story'. In a can't look away sort of way (Consider it a warning). But I did look away and picked up Kavalier and Clay in the process. I'm on the fence about Palahniuk, this book is his last chance.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke - The only one NOT from Borders. A winter read, for sure. Too heavy for the beach bag.

Oh, and because I'm a glutton for punishment I picked up Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult at the library yesterday. Her endings are a little too tidy in my opinion but she always tells a good story. Well, maybe not ALWAYS but mostly.


So. All the moms are going crazy, eh? At least I'm in good company.

I find myself needing, or maybe just wanting so badly I can't differentiate, a break. There was a shoving match yesterday morning. Over a donut. Who needs an alarm clock when you've got your kids hollering "But that powdered one is miiiiiiiiine"?

The tv is on hiatus for awhile and the girlie went to bed a half hour early tonight after another blowout because I wouldn't make popcorn RIGHT FUCKING NOW. Well, she didn't actually use the F - word. At least not then anyway. And her brother, he somehow stepped up to the big brother plate and calmed her down and read her a book and they camped out together in her room and all was well.

They're so cute I could just gobble them up. Until I remember that it's supposed to be hot and rainy today and they're awake for at least 14 hours a day and that's alot of 'what can we do now?' time.

I gingerly hinted around about the kids wanting to go to Maine, for some, ehem, quality time with dad, but it's supposed to be ninety degrees this weekend and that's just plain mean when there's a clear cool lake not 100 feet away from our regular house.

The boy had an idea: we're now on a quest to try some new types of foods this summer. Even if it's something we've had before like Mexican or Chinese it's our duty to order something that we'd never normally eat. Last week was Thai, this week Mexican. The son thinks he's brave and then hates most everything new. The girlie, on the other hand, doesn't want to try anything and then does...and loves it.

I went a little book crazy at Borders the other day. I'm totally blaming their buy three get one free ploy. But I bought three and could've easily bought more. Now I've got a STACK of books to read - maybe I'll drop the Maine hint just one more time...

I like living in a small town, but really...

So, last night after a meeting, one of the selectmen invites me out for a drink. And a hour or two of town politics gossip. The selectman in question is a woman, so don't be getting any ideas. Anyway...

Both of the bars in town? Closed. One for repairs and one was just - closed. Huh?

It would've been good gossip too because she frequently swears me to secrecy and then drops bombshells all the time in the office. Bombshells being small town politics at their finest. This person is a secret business partner of this person, so and so is taking the town to court, this guy- his wife? - she used to run a phone sex line...stuff like this.

And last night the bars were closed. I told her that, clearly, being a selectman means NOTHING if she cannot make the folks at the chinese food restaurant open their bar for just two or three drinks.

Two things about the HomeRun Derby:

1. The announcers on ESPN make me thankful for the team of Remy & Orsillo. How can a network, one that is totally devoted to sports, do no better than Chris Berman?

2. How clean is the Allegheny River?


For Cat:




















The boy had his nine year checkup today...he's all elbows and shoulder blades and ribs. The official medical term I think is "skin and bones".

He's gained twenty pounds since he was five. So, in keeping with that math I told him he'd be weighing in at a whopping 75 pounds when he turns 13. And he'd be *this* close to getting out of his booster seat. I also told him that they'd let him keep it in the hall during his driver's ed classes. And that he should date a skinny girl and they could have a matching set.

And yes. He still sits in a booster seat...the kid is as light as a feather and on the short side. He complained about it earlier in the week (and weirdly this is only like, the second or third time he's really said anything) so I gave him the ole "just because your friends parents don't use them doesn't make it a good decision" lecture. I told him we'd try fattening him up and no matter what he could lose the seat when he turns ten. TEN. He was totally okay with that. My little weirdo.

Recuperating

A trip to a never before visited zoo, near Boston, on a hot summer day....not recommended.

A cookout, with pina coladas and lots of other things that I can't recall because of the pina coladas...highly recommended.

I'm worried just how NONagressive of a driver I've become...I used to be able to drive in and out of Boston without a care in the world. During rush hour, middle of the night, blindfolded. Kidding about the blindfold, just seeing if you were paying attention.

Friday, on the way to the zoo I'm following the vague directions from the zoo website, which I didn't realize were vague until I was in the midst of six lanes of 50 mile an hour traffic, with jersey barriers and such. I'm basically just driving, fully believing I had missed the turn about a mile beforehand but figuring I'd have a chance to work it all out. I see a sign, a sign that filled me with more panic than glee.

Entering Boston

it said. Wha???? What part of Boston looks like THIS?? Where's the Prudential building? The Hancock Tower?

I don't get lost all that easily, somehow, without a lick of common sense I seem to have a fairly decent sense of direction. So, while the heart was hammering madly, because I knew I was south west of town, I was thinking Fenway Park must be right around the next corner. Because the sign said Boston it must mean Boston. And if you've ever been to Beantown you know that if it's not trafficky you can drive through downtown in about ten minutes. It's tiny. Anyways...

My irrational thoughts seem to fly fast and furious, the rational side takes it's sweet time catching up. We get to a stop light, I catch my breath. I look across the street, hey whaddya know, it's the road I'm supposed to find...a full mile before I'm supposed to find it. I look to the right, another sign that says West Roxbury with City of Boston in teeny letters just below. Phew, a suburb.

We make it the rest of the way with little problem (although my kids did cry foul when I missed my exit off the rotary and went around again because the sign was in the wrong place - Hey welcome to Boston, good luck finding your way around, we certainly won't be helping you out - is what the signs should read). My kids love zoos. Love them. I can think of 42,258 places I'd rather be but I let the girlie pick and the zoo it was.

I have pictures. In my camera. It was hot, really hot. I know that lions and tigers and such live in the sahara but for the love of god can they not charge me $3.00 for a bottle of water? The kids were wilting and we hit a big glut of rush hour traffic on the ride home, but they claimed to have loved it. oh-kay.

Saturday we had some friends over for a cookout, that's where the mixed drinks came in. My, we're all so funny after drinking for four hours. Just ask us...we'll tell you :)
The dads were in pink inner tubes in the middle of the lake, the moms playing it safe on the shore. Many jokes were made about the magic bullet blender I borrowed from my neighbor but there was little complaint after the first round of icy drinks.

We may have horrified the one sober person in attendance.

Today, I'm off to Borders for a 4th grade reading list book, Target for a birthday present and Petco to check out the guinea pigs. And then the kids are going to camp and I'm going to work. Ahhh, work. Sometimes it's better than a day off.

The post where I use cut & paste quite liberally OR why May 21st is awesome

I saw this at Jennifer's and then again at Lisa's...

Rules:
1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. In the Search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).
3. List three events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two important birthdays and one interesting death.
5. One holiday or observance (if any).

Events:
1932 - Amelia Earhart, because of bad weather, lands in a pasture in Derry, Northern Ireland, becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

1980 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back opens in theaters.

2006 - The Swedish ice hockey team Tre Kronor takes gold in the World Championship and becomes the first nation to take gold in both the World Championship and Olympic games in ice hockey.

Births:
1898 - Armand Hammer, American physician, entrepreneur, oil magnate, and art collector (d. 1990)
1952 - Mr. T, (Birth Name Laurence Tureaud) American actor

Death:
1542 - Hernando de Soto, Spanish explorer

Observance:
Dia de la Afrocolombianidad marks the abolition of slavery in Colombia.

Tag! You're it...

Forgive me Blogger...

My gawd. It's been A WEEK? A week since I've posted? Whoops.

It's the popcorn popping, after dinner swimming, red sox watching, mojito drinking, wedding attending, firework enjoying, book reading. I'm blaming it on the fun.

Oh, and this show? Funniest damn show on TV right now. Well, not RIGHT now...unless it's, like, 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, but you get the idea.

We went to my husband's cousin's wedding on Saturday and guess what? An honest to goodness Bridezilla was there. She was very, very, um..particular... during the planning. And her family, I guess they'd be referred to as inlawzillas. The husband's aunt and uncle hosted the affair in their yard, working for hours and hours to plan and prepare the yard, food, seating, tents, bar, cooking area, dance floor, arbor...basically the whole thing was their doing. And it was beeyouteeful. Their yard was transformed. The bride's family? Hung fabric from the tent poles. End of tasks.

The bride, not much of a smiler. She looked essentially annoyed for a good portion of the day so I found it funny to watch her stomp around after someone accidentally broke a candle holder during the limbo contest. Literally...she stomped. *grin*

There were a few pool parties this weekend...love the friends with pools, one friend was even thoughtful enough to live within walking distance to a fireworks display, nice of them, eh? We thought so.


The kids are making their way through summer vacation by the skin of their teeth. As in...they are lucky they haven't found themselves locked in the cellar for a day or two. All was great up until about two days ago and it has steadily spiraled downwards. This morning's gem? "Why would I want to eat the crap you cook, anyway?". Nice, huh? All because of a fit -no, A FIT - he threw last night while looking at his summer reading list, he was grounded and he had just remembered this morning that he couldn't use the computer or gamecube for two days. So, after scraping his french toast and bacon into the trash I have decided to spend the day at home, working on our behavior. Or THEIR behavior, because I? don't need so much help.

W-W-W-Wednesday

So, if you send me an email forward with cutesy pictures or one of those damn internet hoaxes I just might hate you.

Okay, not really hate you but if it's a hoax thing I'll find it on Snopes.com and email you the link debunking your dreams of thousands of dollars from microsoft or good luck for the next ten years.

I'm thoughtful like that.



The kids joined the summer reading program at the library. Remember yesterday, when I was talking about the mini golf passes they are desperate for? Yeah, well, no passes this year. Will I tell the kids? Um, no. At least not until August.

See how nice I am??


No? You don't see? Well, neither will they if they find out I was wise to the whole 'no pass' thing.


Oh, and if you're going to share the info about contraband fireworks with someone at work, it's probably best to remember that the Fire Chief sits in the office next to yours.

Overheard Yesterday:

Can't we go swimming??!?! It's been like, ten or seventy minutes since we've been to the pond.
*whiny voiced daughter who has a very limited grasp of time*

I love money more than you.
*crying daughter, in a pale imitation of Mr. Crabs, after being told that we weren't going swimming again until AFTER supper* Oh, the horror.

Momma, I'm so sorry. I love you more than money. Because I'm poor, I only have eleven dollars. If I was rich I'd love money more. But I'm not *sob* I'm poooooooor.
*crying daughter, in a tearful hearfelt apology*

Basically, the schedule for the summer is this:

Wake up, watch Spongebob, swim.
Get dressed, go somewhere or stay home, swim.
Cook dinner while still wet, eat, swim.
Pajamas, game or a movie, sleep.

Later, rinse, repeat.

The water level in the pond though, is up about five+ feet and the steps that usually get you in are underwater. Way underwater. And now you have to take one horribly gooey step into the mud before you get to the steps. Ew. Or, you take just take a run and cannonball off the neighbor's dock. Which is a nice option.

We bought a TON of illegal fireworks this weekend. Well, a ton for us. Which isn't much at all in the truly hick world of fireworks purchasing. I'm wanting to set them off just so they won't be stored in the house, not for fear of a middle of the night raid by the town fireworks gestapo but because I'm convinced they will spontaneously combust in the cellar, blowing us all sky high.

The kids want to sign up for the summer reading program at the town library. They give out free passes to stuff you never want to visit. Except for the coveted "Free Round of Mini Golf", that's the one they work toward. Last year, they read like little fools, marking their progress on the charts they give out. They earned the mini golf fairly early on and then promptly quit reading. I almost, almost want to just take them to mini golf and forego the entire thing. The library visits, the charts, the overdue fines. ugh. But I won't, because I'm a sucker for kids that want to read.

P.S. I love this site.

P.P.S. And the Red Sox.

I'm TWO!

I just had to re-sign in to blogger and they have all of these.."blogs updated most recently" things. I remember when I used to click on those and maybe, just maybe I'd be rewarded with a new site to bookmark...

It was all so new. SO new. And in these parts, these New Englandy parts, it still is. Dooce? That's french for two, right?

And now, two years has gone by. TWO YEARS. And here I still am. Not with as much vigor as when I first started, with the posting every day. But still, TWO Freaking YEARS. For me this is kind of big. I've never kept a diary for more than a week or so and that was back in the days of padlocks and pastel covers. Now I look through my archives to find out when my TV last shit the bed so I can be sure to tell the repairman.

What bums me out is the comments, apparently this Haloscan creep deletes them after there's about one hundred, so all of your comments from days of old...they're gone. But not forgotten! Only, it looks like no one ever visited me until about one hundred comments ago. *sigh*

Funnily enough, I didn't remember it was the two year dealio until after I typed that first paragraph...



Tomorrow is the first official day of Summer Vacation, with both of my kids out, out, out of school. We have no plans. Nothing to get up early for, no lunches to make, no schedule...

bliss.


So, yeah. The girlie with the puking, me with the not puking but constant nausea...lots o fun.

But the day in between, was for most people, nothing more than a trip to the mall. But really, with a good friend, does it matter where you go?

Watching her try on those too ugly for words, but too comfortable to resist croc type sandals. And then talking myself right out of the same pair. And then ending up jealous because they are really THAT comfortable.

And a note: If you're going to *sample* the lotion at Williams Sonoma...don't pump the bottle three times to show your friend that she must be too wimpy to get it to work and then get yourself caught rubbing your arms and shoulders down with the super greasy lotion by the saleslady. I'm just sayin'.

And then to read her site and find out that she was eyeing bags/purses/satchels the entire time and DIDN'T EVEN MENTION IT TO YOU. Especially because that's just what you could've been looking for yourself. I need a good, expensive bag for the summer, LM. Durable, with lots of pockets AND I MISSED MY CHANCE?!

The past week in review:

Sick daughter.

Fun day out.

Sick me.

Work.

The end.

See y'all tomorrow.

He was grinning from ear to ear when I picked him up at the bus stop.

Mom, I won an award.

You did? What for.

*bigger grin* Being a great student.

Wha??? ooh, oooh, ooh, what's it say? can you read it to me..

And so he reads:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Jenny, Each year at Smalltown Elementary, a number of exiting third grade students receive awards. We are pleased to notify you that THE SON has been selected to receive the Parron Scholarship Award. He was selected for this award because of his dedication, motivation, enthusiasm and performance as viewed by the third grade teachers. On Monday, June 19, 2006 I will be honoring the award winners with a special Principal's Lunch in my office. In the fall, they all be invited to a School Committee meeting where the Committee and administration will recognize them and present them with their trophies.
We are proud of THE SON and what he has done for our school! Sincerely, The Principal

There was only one of these given out. Mom, they said it was 'The Big One'. Well, a girl did get an award for loving school but the other four were for just art, gym or music. This is for Ev-Ree-Thing. Plus I get my name on a plaque that will be in the school forever.

Teary eyed mom replies : One? To you? *insert boy's name here* you have no idea just how proud I am right now. Repeat a few more times about the proudness ;)

And spend the night making statements like:

Oh, and the Parron Scholarship Award Winner doesn't think he needs to eat his dinner, eh?

and

Bedtime for the Parron Scholarship Award Winnah!

just to see that huge grin.


Just last week, at my wit's end, it seemed like I was treading water with him. I was hoping not to seem as though I was begging for pats on the back, because I wasn't, I was just truly exhausted. And you all came to my rescue in the form of kind words and such and let me know that being strict diligent is pretty much how you all are too and that it works and is working and buck up, Jenny. And also, that soon he won't need so much parenting. Which will be both a relief and in the same breath, somewhat depressing.

And so you were right. It does work, apparently.


*note that nowhere do I mention the fact that on Sunday it took four long and loud hours for him to write ONE paragraph for a book report. And that he almost didn't live to receive the award. well, i mentioned it nowhere but here, anyway.

A-Letterboxing We Go - With Updates!

So, I had the boy ditch school on Tuesday, because it was supposed to rain for the next forty gagillion days and well, it's fun.

We spent the day, much like we did last June, letterboxing. I tell yeh, for basically the cost of gas and a blank notebook it's pretty damn good. Well, at least for us. My kids love trouncing through the woods and sometimes muck, which isn't necessary all the time but I don't live anywhere near a booming metropolis...lotsa leaves and birds and brooks and such.

Anyway, letterboxing. You grab a blank notebook, a rubber stamp (preferably homemade),inkpad & a pen. Locate your destination on the website, print a few clues and that's it, you're off. Oh, sometimes you might need a compass too, read your clue carefully before you head out. I generally pack everything into a little backpack with my camera, keys & cell phone.

In some cases the directions are purposely vague. Peh. I'm more of a direct route kind of girl and the kids have little patience for driving aimlessly while I figure out our destination based on compass points and riddles. I digress. Most clues are amazingly to the point and still provide enough of a search for the kids.

And what are we searching for? Sounds ridiculously ridiculous, but we're looking for a tupperware container that holds a rubber stamp, log book, etc (basically all of the things that you've brought with you). You use their stamp, usually handmade and sometimes pertaining to the location of the box, and inkpad in your log book and you stamp their logbook with your stamp. That's it.
We've only gone out and done this four or five times, a total of 13 boxes found, so I'm certainly no expert. Partly it's the thrill of the hunt, partly it's the fun in looking at everyone else's stamps and now we've done enough to recognize some of the stamps from other letterboxers from the area.

But I have to say, I've been living in this area for ten years and I can't believe the places I've driven by without noticing. Parks,

walking trails and

monuments.
The World's Best Italian Ices and

beachfront playgrounds we never knew existed.

All in all, a good day.

And now I'm going to press publish and cross my fingers because blogger is driving me batty.


UPDATE: Here are some pictures of my homemade stamp. I feel all exposed showing my true uncraftiness like this...
I used a white vinyl eraser and an Exacto knife. Sadly, this took me awhile to do. Just a note: Remember to carve the mirror image of the what you want the stamped image to look like...because carving it twice...not as much fun.

In Which My Camera Takes a Field Trip

I carry my camera just about everywhere with me. Generally the batteries are dead or two pictures away from dead but still, it's in the purse. I'd love to have a fancy schmancy camera but I know my limitations. Those things break. My little Sony Cybershot? Does not. It is dented, chipped and scratched, has fallen out of my purse onto the pavement more times than I care to remember, been covered in snow, rain and now...has been away without me.
To an bald eagle banding. Our local eagle guru couldn't find her digital camera and so I offered mine. I should've made some 'I have to accompany this camera' stipulation but did not, every year more and more folks are tagging along with the fisheries and wildlife guys and the guru is distressed by this so I didn't push my luck.

Some guy climbs to the top of a very tall pine at a remote, lakeside location and takes the babe (or babes in yesterday's case) from the nest, while the mama circles and swoops and squaks at him. Nerves of steel it must take, those birds are BIG. He puts the little guy in a burlap bag and lowers him down for a checkup and banding.

I think the eaglets are between six and eight weeks old, but honestly I don't have a clue. They're not all that attractive and nation's symbol looking at this point but that beak scares the hell out of me.

And today? We're hookeying.

The boy is, by most accounts, a really good kid. He is. His teachers love him, parents complement me, he's got alot of friends but all I wonder is...when do I get to lay off? I feel like there's so much parenting - too much parenting him and not enough enjoying him.

My husband has accused me of never being satisfied. Not to say I'm a perfectionist, because I'm not but I always feel like I'm missing out, that I want more. I appreciate what I have, most of the time, but I spend far too much time wanting what I don't have. Or can't have. And probably don't even need. It's a crappy way to be. It's not just a material thing either.

Because I project it onto the kids. Far too much. I was going to cancel the hooky day tomorrow just because instead of reading before bed he spent the time sorting his baseball cards. Granted, as he went upstairs it was with a snide comment (another marvelous trait of mine) but he had already done his homework, finished up his book report book, made up a word search and helped his dad pick up roof shingles from the eldery neighbor's roofing job? Does he really HAVE to read, why did I insist on reading? what the hell is wrong with sorting baseball cards? I guess it's more the snide comment that frosted my ass but is that nuts? To cancel an entire day of fun because of one sentence? Why do I always feel like his behavior/attitude or whatever should be better? How can I let 10 minutes of bickering with his sister set the tone for the rest of the day?

He says I'm the strictest mom he knows. I tell him I'm diligent. He doesn't have the computer/tv/video game freedom that most of his friends have. He has an early bedtime, doesn't freak when I tell him he can't have Coke to drink while his cousin smirks in his face and gulps down a can, and still cuddles up with me on the couch to watch Frontier House. The rational side of me knows he's off to a fine start, but when will I let myself actually believe it?

Link Me Up

Looking for a new summer salad recipe that's pathetically easy? Look no further.

I'll find out Tuesday if I'll be needing a new one of these

Am looking forward to a day of hooky so that we can do this.

This is what the son wants to be when he grows up (this month, anyway)...and he's wanting to go to a camp this summer that's having a mini course on the subject.

I've never, ever been into one of these.

I bit into one of these and thought....'ugh, plain. too plain. where's the salt?' and then I read the label and found out they make them with way less salt on purpose. I mean, chips with less salt? what's the point?

Furniture I could live without

Poppy wants to see our least favorite/most hated piece of furniture for the Show and Tell. I was genuinely at a loss. I couldn't think of one piece of furniture that I don't like.

And then I went to put my daughter's pajamas away.

See the misaligned drawers? Well, they don't open or close all that well or all that easily for that matter. The husband has replaced all of the hardware. Twice. It doesn't matter, within weeks it's back to being all wobbly broken tracked drawers again. It's as if it likes it this way. It's sabotaging my furniture happiness.

This bland-o-bureau was mine at one point, bought at the unfinished furniture store and in my husband's first and last stab at decorating...stained and left handleless.

At one point I was going to paint it now I'm thinking kindling.

A suggestion to our School Department: The school year should run from Labor Day to Memorial Day. No making up snow days, flood days or whathaveyou. We'll give up February vacation, no problem, and shorten the newly seemingly longer Christmas break. But I. AM. DONE. with school. done. Except that the boy actually isn't. And now it's all kind of a drag. A busy drag with these last few weeks being filled with a book report and the big mural picture he's still working on.

Two problems: He picked the 12th Lemony Snicket book for his book report and while that's all well and good the weather is finally NICE and does he want to be sitting around reading? No. It's alotta pages too.

The picture my son has to draw for this mural has a theme. Trustworthiness. He knew exactly what he wanted to draw, sketched it out and started working on the final copy. Well, being gifted with his mother's affliction of unrealistic looking people drawing he brought his picture into the art teacher for help. He WAS drawing a boy returning a book to the librarian. His idea, which he explained to me... being able to take out and return books shows your trustworthy.
This is a correct definition of trustworthy right? It's not like irony which I still don't get, right? right? Okay, well the teacher NIXED his idea and all of his hard work and now he's had to start over. On HER idea of trustworthiness because his picture was too much like responsibilityness or whatever. Nice.

See how done I am with school?

Plus the librarian is a cranky 'ole biddy and laid a nice line of sarcasm on the boy a few weeks ago. And she pissed me off but good.



Do y'all have caterpillars? Like 48 gagillion of them? Crawling on everything, making the lawn look as though it's moving and making it impossible to sit outside for any length of time or walk barefoot?

The frickin' catepillars...Major Infestation! Severe Deforestation! Biblical Proportions! All of those and hey! They give me a nasty ass itchy rash! Woot for catepillar allergies!

Hot fun in the Summertime. *UPDATED*

If you tried to click the video in my 13 and it didn't work, here's a direct link:



For Loretta, Summer.

1. Kool-aid
2. corn on the cob
3. grilled whole chicken
4. *noting the need for a summery cocktail in my life* (graciously accepting suggestions)
5. realizing you haven't used the oven for two weeks
6. my potato salad
7. iced tea, iced tea, iced tea
8. peanut butter & jelly sandwiches eaten pondside on the rickety table


and

1. letting bedtime slide the month before school gets out
2. going barefoot
3. first swim in the lake, although the girlie went for a dip in APRIL and that is most certainly not summer in New England.
4. strawberry picking
5. shorts with too white legs
6. Dinner outside
7. Citronella torches and candles signaling to neighbors that the kids are locked away sound asleep and drinks are being served.
8. mosquito swatting

Show and Tell

How is it that out of all the people I know in real life, none of them admit to a love for rocks? And then I come here to the internet, visit the show and tell in Tuvalu and *blam* rock lovahs.



found last summer on our Super Secret Seaglass Beach in Newport. I think that was probably THE best day of our summer last year. Or, at the very least, tied for first.





Garnets, found in Harvard Mine up in Maine. And this day was pretty good too.








Found by the boy.










And sadly, or maybe not sadly if you happen to be a rockophile, but I actually had to DECIDE what rocks to choose for this show and tell. There are more, scattered throughout the house, that I kept finding as I was looking for that funny shaped one.

Must go tuck the girlie in, g'nite.

Thurteen on Thirsday. And later...Rocks.

Okay. I'm relatively embarassed to even be typing this but dudes, this here is my space. Well, not myspace, but MY space and I'm throwing this out there:

I watched American Idol. And here is my Thursday Thirteen:




Thirteen Things about YOUR NAME 1. As a disclaimer I'd like to note that I watched two of the audition shows and then the two part season finale. That's it. And I'd like to tell you...that's all you even NEED to watch. Cripes, every week it's on the news, Remy gives updates during the Sox games even. 2. Another tip: Tape them. Or for those of you living in this century....tivo. There's alotta crap thrown in there for filler. Fast forward is my friend. 3. What was with the bad duets? Meatloaf? That bald guy Chris and his favorite band? uck. Clay with the Claywannabe? Again with the fast forward. 4. That Ace guy is creepy looking. Don't know if it's the eyes, the hair, the size of his face...something just doesn't sit right. 5. Liked watching Randy swaying to Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head. 6. Was I the only one offended by the fake-o awards? I mean, giving that 'most compassionate moment' fake award to that guys mom, who looks like she might be battling cancer. Nice. 7. Dionne Warwick looks just like she did when she was on Solid Gold. A plastic surgery success story. Take note, Kenny Rogers. 8. Prince. Love him. 9. 63.4 million votes. In four hours. That's alotta votes. 10. I thought for sure Katherine would win. 11. She didn't! Woot! 12. The pyrotechnics, during the last song? A little much - no, ALOT much. They were blinding. And maybe it's just the fact that the Station Nightclub fire is still getting news coverage up here that makes me a little more aware, but next time, tone it down. 13. The next American Idol: Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants



So, no posts since last Thursday and that was, maybe, a little Red Sox oriented.

Jennifer was kind enough to monkey with a little photo for my birthday, if you haven't seen it...


Now THAT is awesome. Thanks Jen, you totally made my day.

So the boy is going on a field trip later this week. A THREE DAY LONG field trip. I'm having mini-strokes over the whole thing, but privately. Outwardly I'm showing a calm, relaxed front. Except for one thing. He needs rain boots. And did I think to look for rain boots when I found out about them two months ago? Um, no.

So tomorrow is a mad scramble all over my little corner of Red Sox Nation to find a pair of rain boots. They're on the Target website alright and if it had even crossed my mind last week this whole mess would've been avoided. But no.

So between the whole totallystressedoutabouttheboybeingawaybutpretendingit'sallgood and the lack of wellies, I'm feeling edgy.

And for a short time this weekend we played host to a wild baby painted turtle. Until we realized it would A.) cost over $100.00 to house him correctly and B.) still be alive long after the boy leaves for college. He's in the pond.

We had this fish, it was the girlie's. An orangy little murdering bastard thing. It killed every single fish we put in the tank with it. Like 6 or 7 different fish, dead. I know they're kindof disposapets and the gas to and from Petco costs more than they do, but still. Well, ding dong the fish is dead! Woot! My husband asked the kids if they'd be willing to give up the fish to keep Max (the turtle). They were all "yeah, yeah, yeah!" my lovely boy suggested flushing them. I spoke up..."um, you'd actually KILL them to keep the turtle?" Anyway, we didn't have to kill them. He must've heard us voice our true feelings and pffft. Dead.

So tomorrow it's boots and fish and defacing everything in the duffle bag with my son's name in permanent marker. Do they really NEED six pairs of underwear? I'm hoping not.