The procrastination meme - AKA I should be in the shower but instead I'm here

Explain what ended your last relationship?
the fact that a relationship is exactly what i didn't want.

When was the last time you shaved?
yesterday.

What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
filling out the hockey picture order form.

What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
making the beds.

Are you any good at math?
uh, no.

Your prom night, what do you remember about it?
jr prom? biggest memory - stopping back at my house to pick up a pair of sneakers and finding my dad and his wife having had way too much to drink and his wife - who hated me -fawning all over me. i still feel bad about leaving her ten year old daughter there with them that night.

senior prom? - my boyfriend getting two left shoes from the rental place, celebrating last minute approval for a post prom stay in Ogunquit and having a great time, even though I was sure I wouldn't.

Do you have any famous ancestors?
no. my grampy was a small time criminal but he wasn't famous. Well, maybe for a short time he was a little famous, one time - to the bigger time criminals that were looking for him when something went awry.

Have you had to take a loan out for school?
No.

Last thing received in the mail?
So many catalogs. And two anxiously awaited netflix flix. third disc of deadwood - season two and the first disc of entourage - season two.

How many different beverages have you had today?
zero. but it'll be one just as soon as i'm done here.

Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?
well, yeah.

Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to?
The Hooters.

Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
My name? no. The kids' though.

What’s the most painful dental procedure you’ve had?
the removal of impacted wisdom teeth.

What is out your back door?
Our deck, tons of wet leaves and pine needles and the remnants of a squirrel chewed pumpkin.

Any plans for Friday night?
Yes, remember those netflix movies?

Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
Not particularly but we generally go for a swim in the lake when we get home.

Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
yep, the kids enjoyed it for a day or two and then we dumped it in favor of storing something or other in it.

Have you ever been to a planetarium?

I went alot as a kid, my junior high had one so it was a field trip destination even when i wasn't in that school.

Do you re-use towels after you shower?
I do the laundry OF COURSE I reuse the towels.

Some things you are excited about?
My boy's writing, upcoming christmas season, italian sub stoup

What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?
jell-o? red. only. want to hear something gross? something that could turn you off jell-o forever? my inlaws and husband eat it mixed with milk and sugar. just picturing it make me gagish.

Describe your keychain(s)?
two keys with a pewterish looking MAINE and a moose on it.

Where do you keep your change?
At the bottom of my purse.

When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
I cannot even remember. Small groups - weekly.

What kind of winter coat do you own?
Some sort of chunky polar fleece number.

What was the weather like on your graduation day?
Sunny and warm.

Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
No door - it's a loft.

Here...piggie piggie

Gretsky

I pretty much bungled the whole NaBloPoMo thing. Not posting for a week will do that to you. Oh well, classic underachiever. I've been doing other things, though.

this recipe for instance?





Delicious.

And so easy I was convinced I was doing it all wrong.

I can't quit you

I thought about quitting, I did. Well, not writing anymore, anyway...I don't know if I could ever stop reading. But I'm a chatterbox. And my husband has been claiming to hear less and less of what I'm saying (oh, yes...I did too tell you I had a book club meeting this Friday) so it has to come out.

My poor friend SP bore the brunt my conversation monopolizing last Thursday. She fared well. And compared me (favorably too, I might add) to her lovely, if vociferous, baby. I cry less. Score one for me!

Last week my husband worked on my inlaws septic system. This has been a non stop clusterf*uck for the past two weeks with messed up communication on inspections and permits (with my work, no less) and sneaky, crappy installers. Okay, and it wasn't just last week because they still have a ton of work to do over there but at least the stress of fines and cleaning up someone else's headache is behind us.

Looks nice, no? It's a mess. Their yard is a mess now and instead of waiting to do the work when they sold their home they've decided to do the work and take the house off the market. So that my deadbeat brother in law and his wife and their baby could all live there. Oh, plus two cockapoo dogs. That my father in law hates. AND there's some rumor about my BIL buying the house at a STEEPLY discounted price in two years. I wish I could find a quick way to illustrate how this information entered my husbands ass in the horizontal position. Suffice it to say, he's pissed. And hurt. I told a friend of mine that our status in that family is just one notch above the drug addicted (and currently imprisoned) brother that stole his parent's car last Christmas Day. Totally true.

The rest of the weekend was spent watching some hockey. No, not some. Alot. He skated in Providence on the big guy's ice which is always fun. And we hung out with the parents, which, this year is not so much fun as it was in the past. *sigh*

Plus we got a guinea pig. Which, hell-o....cutest little fella...ever. He's the boy's. He's been hounding us for his own pet for a few years. The 85 lb. black lab that sleeps with him every night is the family's. Not his. Just ask him, he'll tell you. Until your ears bleed.

So we discussed, and discussed the whole responsibility thing. He did well and is doing well. He has his moments, but don't we all. Anyway, he did want a lizard or frog or some other pet. Veto. Well, no so much with the veto as with the extensive "they're mostly for looking, not for touching" type of pet conversations. And then I showed him a picture of a guinea pig. He was hooked. He bought himself a book, we've been to stores pricing out all the cages and food dishes and such. He's spent hours on line checking out guinea pig information and looking at pictures (see how I ramble, how could I NOT blog?) .

And so, on Friday, a Freecycle email came through. One guinea pig, with all accessories, free to a good home. They were hoping it would go to a child that would take good care of it.

*Bingo*

I emailed her right back and found out her daughter was allergic so he had to go as soon as possible. We picked him up Saturday and the boy renamed him.

Gretsky.

I'll try to get a picture tonight.

Whatever you believe or don't believe, god wise, you might find this interesting.

I can't stop reading it.

Don't be scared...really, it's not some over the top crazy talk...

want to post more...but I can't...Lost is calling me.

gah!

10 p.m. and my e-z post ain't happenin.

blogger's not letting me post pictures.

tomorrow, then.

The silicone bakeware: A recap.

I cannot make cookies. At all. I'm not a huge fan of baking cookies anyway, I find it tedious. But my attitude is this:

If I want to make cookies and can follow directions, the cookies should end up being edible.

They weren't.

No amount of new baking powder, cookie sheets, baking soda or even oven thermometers helped. And I threw hundreds of cookies away. Hundreds. Because, while we love hockey, we don't generally eat the pucks and that all these cookies were good for.

So, I bought some red floppy baking sheet liners and figured I'd give it another try.

They. Are. Miraculous.

The cookies are perfectly textured, golden brown and slide right off the silicone. Plus they roll up and you can tuck them in a corner of your cabinets.

Go. Buy Some.

So, maybe there's nothing to this steroid thing...

He must have one hell of a workout ethic. That's all I'm sayin'.

For Amy

She wanted me to leave out some cookies. And here they are. In all their silicone cookie sheet liner perfectness. Now, if only she lived close enough to come over for the game Sunday night, because The Patriots vs. The Colts is fun best shared.

Friday Updates

Daisy Scouts:
The actual act of being the daisy scout leader probably won't kill me. It will the be the moms. OR the mom. There is this one. The other leader and I've decided to institute an aggravation surcharge to be billed monthly.

for example: yesterday she actually reported a grown man to the librarian for using the children's room computers because she thought he looked drunk and homeless...and he looked at her strangely. She actually said this...in front of all the girls and other moms. She then proceeded to make a comment about him maybe being 'a perv'.

The best part of this?

I got to tell her, in my most upbeat passive agressive tone, that "Hey, I know him." As I did - his son is friends with my boy. He was in the library with his kids, helping them find a book or two, and he had just gotten out of work - hence the Carhartt jacket and woolie cap - that were dirty and i guess those dirty laboring types do tend to look homeless. My husband is one of those dirty laboring types and he is certainly in rough shape come 4 p.m. but c'mon... And maybe this guy is a perv, because who really knows, but he was probably just staring back at this lady who was giving him the hairy eyeball because he didn't meet the dress code. And no, he wasn't drunk.


Survivor:
Now, ususally I would pronounce Pavarti as Pahv-ARE-tee and not Poverty. And maybe I have my pronunciation key all wrong...but whatever. Jeff says Poverty. And if that is how you pronounce it? One more reason for her to lose. Her name would be meaningless if she were a million dollars richer.

I kind of liked Flicka.

The guy who rocks at puzzles should've took a minute to realize that if the rest of the group has alot of trouble swimming that there won't even be a chance to DO the puzzle.

They seem to have alot of food. Remember the good old days, when Colby looked like a walking skeleton? Now THAT was Survivor.

Not really Lost...But Found Anyway...

courtesy of google and too much diet coke after 9 p.m. :

an ex-long distance high school romance fella with a poetry blogspot blog.

and

this:


another long ago boyfriend. Now, a professional snowboarder.

Both guys doing what they dreamed of.

Impressive.

On the whole crazy playdate thing: While I could have taken the confrontational route...I did not. I could not. 1.) I was kind of taken aback; 2.) It was a bratz doll, not a joint; 3.) I didn't find out the details of the day until we were on our way home and 4.) There's no need to have the girlie blacklisted by the gestapo mom brigade in town. We can quietly decline future playdate invites or just keep them to a minimum - same result, less drama.

Take Note. I'm Posting Every Day This Month. I swear. Now, put the gun down.

A mom of one of the girlie's classmates invited her over for a few hours the week before last. She offered to pick her up after school and I'd pick her up at their house a few hours later. Not a problem. I know of the family, the kids are nice, etc. - while we aren't really past the 'mom stays too' playdate when it comes to new friends, we know enough people in this small town that now, with child #2, I'm running into the families that have kids my son's age.

Anyway.

When I get there to pick up the girlie, my daughter says that they haven't even had a chance to play. I'm thinking it's just an excuse because she doesn't want to leave yet. Turns out, they weren't home. At all. They went out to lunch, then did an errand or two, then went to Target. Where, after my girlie said that I won't buy her Bratz dolls because they wear too much makeup, the mom buys her a Bratz doll.

Is that normal? To not tell me that she had a few things to do and was going to take them to lunch? And then buy her a toy that even she says isn't something her mom would allow. The mom said she bought her a toy because it was her (my girl's) birthday and her own daughter wanted one. And so, there was no playing on their playdate.

Why can't this whole dealing with other parents thing be easy? I won't be saying anything to the mom and will probably end up inviting the daughter to our house but really...am I way off base here?

And okay, so maybe I'm crazy but I'm not a fan of Bratz dolls - it's the name, slutty attire AND makeup. Not just the makeup. That being said, she's right - I won't buy her one but if she got one as a gift I'd wouldn't go all commando and not let her use it. But I am sort of enjoying the fact that it's sitting under her bed, forgotton.

Oh, yeah. Happy Halloween

Is Self Awareness a Good Thing?

I knew it, i knew it, i knew it.

So, last friday...a day after I order the replacement...I'm running out the door to volunteer for the pumpkin project at the boy's school when, on a whim, I reach into the entertainment center cabinet - where the dvd player and such reside - i put my hand way back, behind the netflix rentals into the dark abyss. Presto. The mf charger.

Hey, at least the new one is a car charger too.

murphy's law

Battery charger - ordered

Spare Battery - ordered


Now I will go downstairs and they will be sitting in the middle of the kitchen counter. Where, I swear to god, they have not been for the past five days.

Isn't that they way it works?

Daisy Scouts.

You will be the death of me.

P.S. Has anyone seen my camera battery charger? Yeah, me neither.

In Review

Dearest Interviewers:

I am submitting a brief synopsis of yesterday's employment interview for your reading pleasure.

Currently, I am performing the exact same job I interviewed for yesterday, and then some. A job I plan on keeping, by the way. I am well qualified and would make an excellent asset to your town. However,

1. There were THREE people there to interview me. I transcribe town board meetings - I am not a neurosurgeon. The three person tag-team interview style for a 12 hour/month position was a little excessive.

2. The woman I'd be replacing? The main interviewer? Congratulations on your 21 years of gainful employment with the town. And thank you for continually reminding me of that fact in your not so subtle way. I'm sure your meetings run like a well oiled machine. Actually, I know they do. You told me. You seem to be curt and efficient but certainly not as intimidating as you wished. You were almost pleasant, even. ALMOST.

3. After leaving the hour long interview (hell-low, it's transcription not rocket science) I drove out of the absolutely beautiful tree lined driveway and thought to myself....Please, please, please don't offer me the job.

4. The man on the phone said that this might become a full time position in the future as the current gal from item #2 will be retiring. How come no mention of that yesterday? It would've been the nail in your coffin anyway...my husband and I agree...full time employment for me will be avoided at all costs. And by costs I mean I'd rather give up cable TV then work for you.

5. Don't take it personally, I just wasn't getting the "Wow, I really want to work here" vibe. Not from the office, the job description or you guys. And maybe I shouldn't be so picky but...I am that picky. And now I know how much I really LOVE where I'm working now. As in lu-uuuuve.

Am anxiously awaiting your 'Sorry, but we've found a more qualified candidate' letter.

Yours truly, or not,

jenny

Nerves

Job interview this morning.

I haven't been on an official job interview in thirteen years.

It's sounding very casual - but still.

In typical fashion I lost the paper with the interviewer's name on it.

Will report back later.

A meme for youyou

ARE YOU:
A Cuddler? well, with the kiddos.
A morning person? I'm not grouchy or anything...but I like nights better.
Are you a perfectionist? Mostly, no.
An only child? Is it wrong to say yes when you have a stepsister? It is? Too bad. Yes.
Catholic? : Raised catholic but when they refused to confirm me our family officially dropped out.
In your pajamas? Sadly, no
Currently suffering from a broken heart? No
Okay styling other people's hair? No, no and no.
Left handed? Righty.
Addicted to MySpace? I think myspace is the worst the internet has to offer.
Shy around the opposite gender? mostly not.
Loud? I think so.

DO YOU:
Bite your nails? No
Get paranoid at times? Why? Who's asking?
Currently regret something that you have said/done? Currently? No.
Curse frequently when you get mad? You'd better believe it.
Enjoy country music? Meh, not really.
Enjoy jazz music? Sometimes
Enjoy smoothies? I love an Orange Julius.
Enjoy talking on the phone? Sometimes, Vonage keeps me in check.
Have a lot to learn? For sure
Have a pet? One dog, three fish and soon to be the mother of a guinea pig owner
Have a tendency to fall for the "wrong" person? Eeep. yes.
Have all your grandparents died? yes.
Have at least one sibling? Step.
Have been told that you are smart? Yes. The gifted and talented program sucked tho.
Have had a broken bone? No
Have Caller I.D. on your phone? Yes...see 19. Love the Vonage.

HAVE YOU:
Changed a diaper? Um, did I have a choice?
Changed a lot over the past year? Not a one.
Had friends who have never seen your natural hair color? Hmmm, maybe.
Had surgery? No - just wisdom teeth - which, they knocked me out - does that count?
Killed anyone? No. At least not that I know of.
Had your haircut within the last week? Nope, two weeks ago.

LAST PERSON WHO:
Slept in the bed beside you? My daughter
Saw you cry? My kids.
Went to the movies with you? SP, I think. It might have been the boy.
You went to the mall with? My daughter - Build a Bear and then we split a milkshake.
You went to dinner with? The kids, the girlie wanted Friendly's for her birthday dinner.
You talked to on the phone? My friend Jean
Said 'I love you' to you and meant it? My boy- when he got on the bus this morning.
Broke your heart? Adam. Hahahaha. I left this in from Jen's. But I'd have to say my husband.
Made you laugh? The girlie.

WOULD YOU RATHER?
Pierce your nose or tongue? Neither really. But I guess tongue, more discreet. Except for the lisp.
Be serious or be funny? Funny
Drink whole or skim milk? Skim
Die in a fire or drown? Drown
Spend time with your parents or enemies? Parents.

ABOUT YOU!
What time is it? 8:02 a.m.
Name? Jennifer
Nickname(s)? Jenn(y)
Where were you born? Anchorage, AK
What is your birthdate? May 21 st
What do you want? Nice kids. And some money for christmas & the hockey tournament would be nice too.
Where do you want to live? Right where I am.
How many kids do you want? Just two.

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad

well, we're 66.6% done with the birthday celebrations.

1. Birthday Trip to Build a Bear - check. Last year, it might have even been the night of her 5th birthday, she said that she wanted to go back to build another bear - just her and I. She's loved Nellie more than I would've ever even prayed a girl could love a much too expensive stuffed dog and she's waited so patiently for her return trip - and now we have Butterscotch.
And yes, perfectly safe to take pictures while your driving. Didn't you learn that in your Driver's Ed class?

Family + a bonus best friend party - check. And there were babies...two babies...which gave the rest of us plenty of reason to oooh and ahhhh. The favorite present was a my little pony notebook set that - because it is the favorite - has been used non-stop for the past 36 hours. Thanks SP! Plus I scalded everyone's mouth with my soup...oops.

And now we're moving on to the High School Musical Birthday Party. We're converting her room to the dressing room, complete with full length mirror and a big gold star on the door, a karaoke machine with Troy & Gabriella singing their little high school hearts out, T-Shirt decorating, and some sort of basketball game (Go Wildcats!). I think I'm up to eight girls - which is like, six to many (hah!) - and the husband is working so he misses the whole thing. And him missing it totally bums me out - we're totally a party team...he's a better hostess to the moms than I ever could be. He's the drink server and let me get you a chair type of guy. I'm more of a "oh, you're thirsty AGAIN?!?! the drinks are in the cooler..." type of girl.

Today the girlie is off to her first kindergarten friend playdate (ACK - I hate that word!). And I don't have any plans from 9:00 a.m. until 2:40 p.m. - the mind reels.