Tips for Driving ( Not for my kid)

I was thinking recently about how there are only a few more years until my daughter will learn how to drive and it got me thinking about my own driver education. So here are some tips that I will not share with my daughter.

1. Start young.  I did. I think I was 13 maybe 14.

2. Have a friend teach you how to drive. My BFF Sue and I took the car out many times.  Sometimes, legally.  There were a few that were not.  ( I swear Sue, the car became possessed!!!)

3.  Drive to Driver's Ed whether you are a licensed driver or not.  How else was I supposed to get there?

4.  When you inherit a car, don't question what rolls around in the trunk you can't open.

5.  Learning how to drive a manual transmission in a world of hills is scary!!

6.  Mastering the manual transmission is a fun skill to show off!  No brakes needed!!!

7.  Yes, it is possible to sleep in your car, if needed.  This is especially helpful if you weren't where your folks thought you would be.

8.  Don't ever admit it, but AAA can really save your life. Locked out, ran out of gas, battery died.....all in very inconvenient places.

9.  You can fit way more people than is allowed in your car.

10. When in need, beg for gas money. I walked around with a can labeled, "Meg's Gas Fund", and got at least a few bucks.

Just Say It Now

It's hard when you lose someone, whether it be sudden or slow.  The time frame doesn't make it easier in any sense.  I've dealt with loss.  Both suddenly and slowly.  Neither is easy. After a loss, people always are quick to talk about how wonderful the person who passed was.  This is much more evident in Social Media.  I witnessed, recently, the wonderful postings about a high school classmate who had suddenly passed away.  It was truly evident that she was an amazing person who touched many lives, but it made me wonder.  Did she know this?  Did people tell her those wonderful things to her face while she was alive? 

I'm not so sure.  That is why I am starting this movement  #justsayitnow   Tell someone  how you feel today.  It could be family, friends or coworkers. Everyone needs to know how valued they are.  JUST SAY IT NOW!  Because you never know when they won't be there to tell them in person.  

The Fireplace Fiasco (or how I made an ash out of myself)

So, I came home the other day and noticed that the house smelled like a fireplace.  It has been unusually cold here, lately, which is true of most places this week, and we have had several fires. Anyhow, I decided that it would be a good thing to clean out the fireplace. I was home alone and it hadn't been done since last year.  The first thing I notice is that our fireplace tools have been reduced to a poker and a pair of what looks like giant tongs. There is a great deal of ash in the fireplace, so I get the brilliant idea.  A vacuum would be the perfect solution for this problem. Well, I know from past experience that this is too much ash and would clog the vacuum.  So, I go to the shed and get the shop vac.

This is where the fiasco begins.  I plug in the shop vac and turn it on and begin to suck up the ash.  Not 15 seconds in, I notice that the suction is not quite right.  So, not thinking, I look in the hose and then tip it over proceeding to dump a bunch of ash on the rug.  Obviously,  there is a clog.  Unscrew said hose. Carry outside and attempt to clear the clog off of the back porch.  Did I mention it was windy?   After a face full of ash, I unclog the hose.  Go back inside. Hook it back up. Turn it on and check the suction. Perfect!  Then I proceed to suck up the ash spilled on the floor, turn my attention to the fireplace.  

At this point, I must state that the shop vac is behind me. I'm busy sucking up all the ash, when after a minute or so,  I stop to check the suction again and turn around.  WHAT THE HELL?!?!  The entire living room has been enveloped by a huge ash cloud!  What?!?!?! The shop vac has an exhaust in the back of it?!?!  Every speck of ash I have sucked up is now spewing out the back and into the room!!! I quickly turn off the shop vac.  Thinking on my feet, I grab my regular vacuum, put on the attachment  thinking I can suck up the ash cloud out of the air.  Why, in the world,  did I  think that would work? I have no idea.

  

Next Idea, run around the living room and open all the windows.  As fast as I can, turn on the two ceiling fans (break the thingy off of the chain on one in the process).  Next,  I grab a standing fan from another room and place it in the hallway to attempt to keep the ash in the living room.  Not really helping the situation of clearing the room of the ash cloud.  So, I pick up the fan and start waving it around.  Kinda reminded me, for a moment,  of how Steven Tyler swings the mike stand around when he performs.     But then, a moment of clarity.   I move the fan in front of the window facing out to suck the ash out.  Meanwhile, I realize that my dog has just been standing in the middle of the living room watching the whole thing. I notice him and think, "Oh my God, you can't be in here breathing this! You'll get the black lung or something!"  So a whisk him out the back door!  

At this point I need to calm down and analyze the situation.  Deep Breath, Nope, realize quickly that  that would be bad.   But upon observation, everything seems to getting back in order.  The ash cloud seems to be dissipating.  OK, let's empty the shop vac and put it away.  Good thing I looked in it before just dumping it willy nilly in the back yard because apparently it was last used to pick up Styrofoam packing pieces.  That could have been a mess chasing Styrofoam around the back yard.  I'll just take this and dump it all  into the trash can on the side of the house.  Head outside. Lift the lid on the trash can.  Remember how I said it was windy before? One gust, that's all it took!  And a cloud of ash and Styrofoam bursts into the air.  I drop the shop vac and proceed to spend the next 20 minutes picking up ash covered Styrofoam pieces off my neighbor's and my side yard.  

Now I still need to turn my attention to original problem.  Cleaning out the fireplace.  Still don't have the tools I need.  So I improvise.  Using a scoop formally used for scooping dog food and a plastic shopping bag.  Yes,  I checked for holes first. I then proceed to clean most of the ash out.  There is just a little left that I can't reach with the scoop.  Surely, that little bit won't clog the vacuum.  Oh how wrong I was.  Now, I have to clean the Vacuum filter and container so that the vacuum will work again.  I'm so over it at this time.  All I wanted was to get rid of the ash smell.  Now, the smell is embedded in my nose and a fine layer of ash covers all the furniture and the rug in my living room.  Well, I can't use the vacuum until the filter is dried.  So, screw this,  I'm having a glass of wine.  I'll clean it later. 

I wish.....

"I wish... more than anything...more than the moon........."

Wishing for things to come and wishing for things that could have been.....

I wish that my friends and family would all find true happiness.

I wish I lived closer to my niece, Olivia B!

I wish to be able to  enjoy working with students for many years to come.

I wish that everyone could enjoy a pet like my cat, Vader and dog, Luke.

I wish that my sister wouldn't ignore my daughter.

I wish that every once in awhile, someone would find a book that moves them enough to share it with someone else.

I wish that I was closer to my extended family.

I wish that everyone could laugh as much as I do.

I wish people would stop and be thankful for the little things on a regular basis.

I wish that I had relished each visit from my parents.

I wish there were several chances for decisions.

I wish I could bottle the feeling of Christmas and use it all year long.

I wish the people who have hurt me would have some inkling about what they have done.

I wish my husband's mother and my parents could see who my daughter is becoming.

I wish I could help more people.

I wish I could come up with the best comeback instantaneously instead of it popping in my head 30 min later.

I wish I would publish more of my posts than I actually do.  

I wish.... what do you wish for?

Tomorrow morning...

Tomorrow morning around the United States, children will go to school.  Tomorrow morning, teachers and staff will go to work.       
 It will NOT, however,  be just any Monday.               
 Tomorrow, parents will cling a little longer, hug a little harder, give many more kisses.   I work in an elementary school and I know it will be different.  I know my fellow staff will survey their classrooms and the building a little differently. We will look at each child in a different light.  We will look at each other  differently.  It's because we all know that no matter how many crisis plans we have in place,  it could happen to us.  No matter how many drills we practice, no one is ever prepared. But I also know that no matter what, my fellow staff would do whatever it takes to protect our "babies".  That's the unwritten part of what we sign on to do.  It's not in our contracts, but each child in our building we covet as a gift to help nurture and keep safe.  That is what every staff member attempted Friday in Connecticut. My heart hurts for the great loss, as an educator and a parent.   It is heart wrenching  to think of those innocents  who were lost, because they should still be here.  And  I can't help thinking, It could have been any school.  It could've been us.  

How do we take this tragedy and learn from it?  
What can we do to stop it from happening again? 

Not your old Olympics!

As you are well aware, the 2012 Olympics are underway. Wait, what? You want to see a particular event? You might not be able to, sadly. Yeah, you see apparently for some reason. Well,that's a lie. Money is the reason! NBC is choosing what to air live and what to air previously recorded. Take for instance, yesterday's 400 IM in which the much hyped rivalry between Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte were to swim head to head for the first time in these Olympics. I knew it would've been around 2:30 our time. So I turned on the tv and tuned in to NBC. But no swim race. Oh, it took place and Lochte blew Phelps out of the water, but NBC chose to air it during the prime time later that evening. More money there, I guess. Well...what fun is that? The results were all over the Internet ! Who wants to watch a race that you know the results of? That takes the intensity out of it. And yet, NBC promotes the prime time coverage as if it were live and we don't know the results. Even their primetime news coverage shows the results of key events. They do warn you of spoilers and to look away if you don't want to know the results. Come on this is 2012! Social media and instant information is a way of life! How lame can you be NBC? Oh wait now, I have to admit that NBC has an Olympic App where you can watch everything live. However, you must have cable or a satellite account. You're probably thinking...who doesn't ? You'd be surprised who doesn't? Yes, the app is available for ipad/phone, android, and kindle. And, yes every event is available. So that's kinda cool. Maybe our social media, instant access society is to blame. In olympics past, you didnt know the results. So, you were at the mercy of network television. But come on....I cannot envision a family huddling around those devices to see the live action. How lame! There was something about watching the Olympics together! I have vivid memories watching the USA defeat Russia in Hockey with my family. Kerri Strug and that beautiful vault with a broken ankle! Michael Phelps and all his gold medals! Those days are gone I believe and I'm not sure I like it!

My Culinary Experiment

I like to challenge myself during vacations at home.  I like to try something new.  The kitchen always seems to be the perfect laboratory for that.  So this Spring Break, I decided to make Matzo ball soup from scratch.  My daughter loves Matzo balls and Matzo ball soup.  I happened across some of the soup in a store one day.  Which I found odd.   It's kinda like finding fried okra in New York.  In other words, it's not so common.  Well, she fell in love with it.  I came across a recipe from my Cooking Light magazine and decided to pull out my Dutch Oven I got for VD from the hubby(Yes, it was a great gift!) and give it a shot. 

Step 1:  Roasting the chicken wings and aromatic veggies.....

Cut up some carrots, celery and onion and put them on a tray with chicken wings  in the oven for 40 minutes.  Piece of cake.


Step 2: Scrape all of that into a Dutch Oven ( BTW, could not attempt this before VD, Thanks Hubby!) add 3 cups of water and seasonings and let it simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

The next few steps kinda ticked me off.....

Step 3: I then have to strain it through a mesh sieve and discard the solids ( What?? I have to throw 3 lbs. of chicken away?)  Then cook until it reduces to 6 cups.. Ok, I'm really bad at math, but how the hell do 3 cups of water and some chicken and veggies turn into an amount of liquid that can be reduced to 6 cups!?  I'm pretty sure that I did not have more than 6 cups when I discarded (Really?!?) the solids.

Step 4:  Next I have to combine the chicken stock and 3 chicken leg quarters to cook.  Wait!  WTF?  Didn't I just throw out 3 lbs of chicken wings?  Now I have to add more chicken for the actual soup?  That is messed up!

Step 5: Make the Matzo Balls... ok, this was fun.  This recipe calls for club soda.  I hear that there is a huge debate about whether to use good ole' H2O vs. club soda.  I'm just following this recipe and I reserve to weigh in on that debate until I try it the other way.    So while I'm making these I'm looking at the 5 bottles of club soda I have left because around here the only way you can buy club soda is in 6 packs of 8 oz glass bottles.  An epiphany hits me... hey those MIO liquid water enhancers would turn those into sodas.  Need to share that.

But I digress...

Last step:  Take out the cooked chicken legs and shred chicken to add back to soup...(Ummm, I could have done that with the chicken wing meat you told me to throw out.)  Add Matzo balls, onion,  carrots and celery..... No,  not the onion, carrots and celery that was used to make the stock, new onion, carrots and celery.

So in the end  the soup was very yummy.  However, I should have followed the shortcut  tip ....For a shortcut version, use store bought, unsalted chicken stock instead of making your own.  

To me,  the amount of work and waste involved in making chicken stock was not worth it, but I CAN say that I have made my own chicken stock..

Disclaimer:  I know that there are many recipes for chicken stock and that this is just one of them.  

When should she know?

So my kid has an imagination like you would not believe! She has an innocence that I think every child her age should have.  And yet, she is an anomaly.  You see my kid is 10 years old.  She still believes in Mermaids,  Santa,  the Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny.  She doesn't have a cell phone or a Facebook page. She hasn't seen the Twilight movies nor is she allowed to read or see the Hunger Games.  SHE IS 10 YEARS OLD!!!  I want her to keep her innocence as long as she can. I love her innocence and wish I could keep it for years.... to a point. 

But alas, my kid is 10 and  she is pretty smart.  So, I figured that when the "bubble" was going to break it would be with the Easter Bunny.  You see,  I can rationalize Santa...." Santa only brings some of the gifts.  Your parents bring the rest."  and the Tooth Fairy..." I think that there is more than one Tooth Fairy.  And who you get depends on what she leaves you."  and she defends Mermaids..." No one has ever proven that they don't exist."  But the Easter Bunny?  Kind of hard to rationalize why the stores are filled with Easter candy.  And I was so ready to have the conversation with her had she asked, but NOOOOOO! She has to write a note to the Easter Bunny asking of proof that he is real. Nothing like the unexpected!! 

The hubby and I went back and forth as to what to do.  We turned to the Internet and read blog postings as to what to do.  We sent texts to friends.  We both became tearful reading the responses.  Why? Because when it all comes down to it.  Our little girl is growing up.  And that happened so fast!  How did that happen so fast?  We don't want that to happen!  And yet we know it has too. 

So, in the end what we did is write her a note from the Easter Bunny stating ....." I'm as real as you want me to be, and as long as you still believe, I will still visit you!"  and if she asks tomorrow if the Easter Bunny is real... We will respond, "Only if you want him to be."   But in my heart I will feel a tinge of sadness to know that that part of her childhood is gone. 
Growing up is hard!

Ready for 45?

So, lately I've been realizing that it isn't long until I'm 45!  And I have to admit that there are days when I'm not really comfortable with that.  Ya see, I continuously see myself as not old me.  And thinking that I am a certain age, well, that blows my mind.  ' Cause I never saw myself in the future.  Not that I didn't expect to live this long (although there were times).   I never have been one to say, 'When I'm 45, I will be..."  Except this statement, " If I live to be 80, bring me a carton of cigarettes and  'stuff I can't mention here because I'm an educator'... and I will LOVE the rest of my life!"  but I have close friends assigned to that....

So anyway, there are things that remind me of my age daily.....

1.  The eyesight.  It's bad enough that I haven't been able to see the alarm clock when I wake up in the middle of the night since I was 10, but now I can't thread a needle,  have to hold books four ft away and enlarge the text messages on my phone to 72 font? WTF!?

2.  Gray hair which peaks itself out between colorings.  Colorings which I did not start to cover gray, but to try something new.  If you know me, I have played with hair color for a long time.  Anyone remember the pink hair?? 

3.  I can't eat whatever the hell I want!   Now it's all about reading labels and avoiding the food that's bad food.    If I only knew to appreciate those days when it didn't matter what I ate.  Or when all I had to do is to think about  losing weight and it happened. 

4. Former students recognizing you and they have kids of their own.  This wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't worked at the elementary (oldest age 12) level for 20 years. Yes, I have former students that are 32 and older.  YIKES! 

Even so, I can't complain because I still get carded.  And yes it's because they have to card everyone.  But what makes me smile is the comment after looking at my ID, like.....  "Oh, wow!"

and at the grocery store.."You're 21 right?" Yes, ma'am, I'm almost 45."  " How old did you did you say you are?"  " 44 almost 45."  " You don't look even close to that!"

or at the Drs. office checking out,  " Are you Marguerite?"  " Yes, that's me. "  " Really? You don't look even close to 44!" 

Screw the other stuff, I'm as young as I feel which is what people perceive me to be apparently!

"Soup"er dilemma

It's no secret that I love to cook.  Notice I said cook, not bake.  Although, the girl and I made a chocolate cake from scratch today which was fun and amazingly yummy!  So baking may be on my resume soon.  I have high standards to consider someone a Cook or Baker.  In my mind, you not only need to be able to replicate a recipe, but you need to be able to create your own creations without a recipe.  I can basically pull this off as a cook, but not a baker.  I know what flavors and foods go together to create a great meal.  Baking a cake or cookies without a recipe... I just don't seem to have that knack, yet. 

One of my favorite things to make is homemade soup.  I love soup.  Love it soooo much that I could eat it daily.   I can tell in a restaurant if it's made from scratch or a can has been opened.  And to me if you are serving canned soup in a restaurant then, "why bother?"  I have a few favorite soups I make, and really they take no more effort than it does to drive to the closest diner and order food.

Am I always successful?  No.  Take tonight, I tried to create chicken corn chowder using a recipe from a friend.  I changed it up to make it in the crockpot. And it is good, but not too appealing to the eye. And you say, as long as it's tasty, who cares?  Yeah, to me it looks like vomit, and has a strange texture.  I'd say like vomit, too, but I have never stopped to contemplate the texture of vomit.   I can't eat more than a spoonful.  The girl liked it. She ate 2 bowls and Hubby had a bowl, too..

I made a few key mistakes.  When using chicken in a soup, you should always cook it separately.  Because when you don't, the longer you cook it in liquid the more likely you are to get this cottage cheesy chicken residue.  So I thought I would fix that by running it through the food processor.  Epic mistake!  Thus, the result...

So, why the big deal?  A good friend of ours is having a soup party in a few weeks.  I want to impress this friend because he is like a culinary expert.  He is always bringing amazing food to gatherings.  I'm indecisive as to what soup to make, but I can tell you which soup I will NOT bring!  Hubby says,  "You got to have bad ones every once in a while to appreciate the good ones."  Although, he says that in reference to puns, which to me there are very few good ones of those. (Sorry, Dad!) 
 I kind of want to try something new... just looking for the courage to take the leap.   Because I found this one recipe that could be phenomenal..... or not! 

Non-traditional Thanksgiving Tradition

If you know me, you know I love traditions!  So, this year I'm trying something new.  It seems a little silly for me to work hard all morning to make a Thanksgiving meal for only 3 people.  Don't get me wrong!  I love my family, but half of what I consider a Thanksgiving meal, my family does not eat.  So, this year I'm changing things up.

I came up with an idea.  My family and I are volunteering to help serve Thanksgiving dinner at a local church for the community.  After that, we are going to watch the new Muppet Movie and then enjoy some sushi!  Crazier even still.... I am going to attempt to shop at midnight tomorrow night!  Laugh if you will.  I might be able to stay awake.  New traditions being made every day!

This year, I'm thankful that I have people who love me, a stable job which I love, and a roof over my head. I'm truly Thankful!  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

My Tribute: 9/11/11

I know where I was. I know how I was affected.....No need to relive that here. Here is my tribute........

While our lives continued

Each one of yours ended

Wives and Daughters, Fathers and Sons

Into God’s hands you flew

Lives were changed in an instant

Like the sky changes hue

Note the memories will never fade

Everyone has their own tale

Versions that many would whole-heartedly trade

Eliminating a single one would fail to

Remember those feelings and the sacrifice paid

Fighting for justice we constantly do

Or making sure that our freedom is intact

Reminding us all what is real and true

Getting on with life…..Not easy, but a fact

Each year that comes moves us farther away, but we say to you

To each one of you who lost their life that day….We will never, ever forget

i'm unique.. and expect to keep that

When I was a kid I never received gifts that had my name on them. My parents gave me an uncommon name. My full name is Marguerite, not Margaret. My nickname is Meg.....not Meghan. Marguerite and Meg are not names that are common on mugs, toothbrushes, or shot glasses. So I hold tight to my name. I'm really ok with nicknames... I've had a few.... Chab, Green Eyes, RB, Smeg, and Wheat to name a few. Each with a story and if you really know the story than you have permission to call me that. I really don't care what you call me except, if you call me Meghan, I will correct you once. If you call me it again.... you're not going to be on my favorite list.

I feel unique in many ways, but my name(s).. Come on....how many people named Meg or Marguerite do you know? I'm guessing not many... so it's up to me.....

Hey, my name is Marguerite or you can call me Meg. In the whole world you will never meet anyone like me... and I hope that is a good thing.

There's a major storm brewing...

Hey, did you know that there's a hurricane out there? Her name is Irene! In my 20 years in the South I have experienced several storms, but never a major direct hit. Looks like SC will dodge that bullet again. I was going to recall some of those storms and the experiences I had, but I think I will highlight the things I have learned about hurricanes and tropical storms.

1. They are scary and not something to get excited about. It may seem that way at first, but even when you leave you will worry about what your street will look like when you return.

2. Have a plan of where to go to be out of harms way and get out when authorities tell you to. Don't think you can ride it out and protect your house. If you change your mind in the height of the storm, you can't. Chances are roads will be impassible, and there might not be someone there to rescue you.

3. Don't forget your pets. Emergency shelters don't take pets. I always make a reservation at a hotel inland that takes pets. It costs me nothing to make the reservation and I can cancel it up to the day I'm supposed to arrive without paying anything.

4. Put all your important paperwork in an easy to grab place. You know, stuff like insurance agents' numbers, birth certificates, and the like. I'd say photos but the digital age has kind taken care of that.

5. Remember to help one another and that material things are replaceable..Lives are not.

Hopefully, everyone will be safe and stay out of harms way!

Nostalgia.... what does that say?

Recently, like in the last 5 days... I have noticed that there has been a surge of pages on Facebook that begin... Things I remember about...(fill in your hometown). I saw this for the town I am living in, and was waiting for one for the town I grew up in. Well, it happened this am. At 10:00 am there were less than 150 members and by 9:00 pm there are 340. The fun thing is that I have enjoyed reading, posting and commenting on the town which when I was a high school senior, I couldn't wait to leave. In fact, I will say, I hated that town.

So, what's the change? Well, I have to say it may have to do with hitting the midlife thing...( God I hope I live to be 86!) As much as I thought I hated that place as a teenager, it contributed to the person I am today.... the people, the places, and every experience, good or bad.. .. what can I say? honestly? All the following questions have popped in my head.........Was it really not that bad? Did I have more fun than I remember? Did some of it really matter? Did most of it not matter? The biggest question that keeps popping in my head.....Am I that old?
Yeah, I'll go back to my real life that doesn't remind me how old I am... unless you're a former student who drops by...... In which case...

"Summertime...... and the living's easy!"

Well, here it is, Yes, I am in the midst of summer. How do I know? There are a few clues..........

1. I have to look at a calendar to find out what day of the week it is.

2. I can wake up at 3 am and not worry if I can't get back to sleep because I can sleep, whenever.

3. If a book catches my fancy, I can spend the whole day reading it and not feel guilty.

4. Lazy is not an acceptable way to describe spending the day sitting at the water park or beach. My eyes are always keeping an eye on the little one....

5. I have taken on a new hobby. This year it's making homemade pasta. Quite successfully, I might add. When they all eat my spinach ravioli and want seconds....HELLO!

Summer is bliss for me. It is a time of rejuvenation, and I happen to be fortunate to have a career that allows me to fully enjoy the season. Yes, I know there are many who believe "We, Educators" have it easy and shouldn't complain about our jobs because we have summers off or don't deserve them. But, until you walk in our shoes......Nah, this post is not addressing that issue! This is about the joys of summer!

Having the summer off always reminds me of the magic of the summers of my youth. You know how they say the youth is wasted on the young? I think that may be true for summer, as well. My summers were basic, boring and glorious in their own right. Most memorably.....

1. Swim lessons.... My parents felt that since they didn't learn to swim until their 40's their children should by being pushed off the pier into the frigid (as in melted iceberg, frigid. I am NOT kidding.) waters of Canandaigua Lake early in the summer mornings. Most of us complied, numbly, except my little brother who preferred playing in the sand.

2. Just hanging out and listening to music or reading a good book. This always involved lying out on the roof of the garage using baby oil in search of the perfect tan. I shudder thinking about all of that skin damage!

3. Sailing lessons through Parks and Rec.....What fun that was. Sailing to Squaw Island which isn't that great 'cause you can walk there on the sandbar. Getting stranded with a broken mast in the middle of the lake in a storm and the ever fun water balloon fights with the snooty Yacht Club sailors. That always reminds me of a John Hughes' movie for some reason.

4. The one week of family vacation. Used to be we'd all go to Beckers, a resort on 4th Lake in the Adirondacks similar to Kellerman's in Dirty dancing. But minus the dancing, and sadly minus the hot Patrick Swayze. Even if he was there, we stopped going by the time I was 12, so I wouldn't have appreciated it anyway. No, my thrill was to go to the Enchanted Forest which is a water park now, but then it was a lame walk through the woods visiting the nursery rhymes. In my teens, we would go to Toronto, or Niagara Falls, but the teen angst of 4 teenagers became too much for any of us to handle.

5. Camps, lots of camps. I attended many, and knowing my memory is not exactly perfect, I'm sure they were all not during one summer. Or maybe they were and that makes me wonder if my parents did that because they didn't want me around.....hmmm.


6. Working at Carvel Ice Cream , my first real job. An ice cream stand right across from the main beach. You'd think that there'd be many boy stories. There were..... only they mainly involved my best friend. I mostly remember memorizing the menu and tax table with my dad because it was expected to calculate an order in your head while you were preparing it. A nightmare for me as I have issues with mental math. I still recall a milkshake was $1.18 with tax and a Mexican sundae was $1.31.

Ahh good times.... used to be my father would say that when the 4th of July rolled around summer was almost over which wasn't really true up north, but it is closer to the truth down south. So it looks like I'll have to really pull out the stops and enjoy the rest of it because before I know it, school will be back in session.

How well do you fully embrace the joys of summer? Even if you have to work, do you change your schedule, your behavior, your lifestyle because of summer? Happy Summer, Y'all!

1,2,3....Not it!!

A friend sent me a text the other day to ask if we were at war with Libya. I told her yes, but that at least we didn't start it. France shot first.

Why did I say that?! ' Cause that makes it better?! It's like, finally, the US didn't start something. And the good news is that the US is gonna back off and hand over control to the Allied forces in a manner of days. Thank goodness, for so many reasons!

Oh, but wait! Did you feel the wind of the double take from England, France and Italy? ..........They just said,
"Ummm, yeah, about that ....... 1,2,3......Not IT!"

WTF?!?

It's time to Avoid the Cookies!!

I have an addiction. I admit I'm addicted to Girl Scout Cookies. It started when I was young and a Girl Scout myself. I have no control when there is a box of Thin Mints or peanut butter Tagalongs around. You're probably saying, "Just don't buy the cookies!" Unfortunately, as with any addiction, its not that simple. I knew that having these cookies around was an issue. So I attempted to deal with it in a variety of unsuccessful ways......


1. Put them in the freezer.
That was a huge mistake, and anyone who tells you to do that is setting you up for failure. Something incredible happens when subfreezing temperatures hit those cookies. It's like what happens to liquids when frozen. Somehow, the yummy goodness particles in the cookies triple in size. Those boxes didn't last a day!

2. Buy them and leave them at work.
Yes, others could enjoy them if I hadn't snatched them out of their hands and growled each time they tried to.

3. Just give the money to the kids and get no cookies.
I've tried this many times.....

"Here, take the money!"
"What cookies do you want?"
"I don't."
"I can't just take your money!"
"And I can't take your cookies!! Just take the money!"
" You have to get cookies!"
"AHHH!!!!"

It just doesn't work! Which is amazing 'cause aren't they selling them to raise money?!

4. Refuse to order or buy any regardless of the cute faces, and pleading looks.
This would not be so bad if there wasn't a troop of Girl Scouts panhandling cookies in front of every store I need to go in. It's bad enough to have to deny them once, but it is inevitable that you get accosted going in and out of the store. And they are everywhere!

It's like they've changed the Girl Scout promise to :
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country, by forcing cookies on you
To help people at all times, by pan handling cookies that are addicting
And to live by the Girl Scout Law. which is to sell cookies for what reason we're really not sure!


So far, this season I have been successful. But, today I need to go to Walmart and every entry will be covered. God, grant me the serenity not to take out a table of little girls as I attempt to avoid their cookies!

Get Out of My Way You Stupid Tatertot!

It's bad enough that I have to think daily about approaching my mid-forties! I try to eat healthy, and I exercise regularly. But I discovered some reasons the other day why this country has a weight problem! Among them are Dancing Tater tots!

I was ecstatic the other day when the weather became warm enough to take a bike ride. I get bored doing the same exercise routine and always welcome a change. So on my 11 mile ride I have to navigate several obstacles. The first one is the Dancing Tater tot outside of Sonic!! Unlike the picture here, he was right in my bike path! As I ride past him the aroma of whatever is made there smells soooo good hits me and nearly turns the bike around. I pump the pedals faster to get by nearly taking out the Statue of Liberty luring people to get their taxes done. I glance back relieved I have passed this first obstacle. My legs are on fire and I force myself to continue on, but not even a mile up the road I have to pass a McDonald's . No, there is no Mayor McCheese or Fry Guys out front, but the parking lot is packed and I can sense why, because the smell of chicken nuggets and Big Macs is wafting into my path. Push Meg! Push! I make it pass and complete my loop heading back on the opposite side.
Pain and fatigue numb my senses enough that I don't notice passing the McDonald's on the other side of the road...... But then I must pass the Bojangles, which for you Northerners is a southern version of KFC. But noooooooo, idiot driver makes me have to ride into the Bojangles parking lot and fully immerse myself in the heavenly scent that lingers there...... I think, "Fried Chicken! It's been sooo long! Suddenly, somehow, I snap out of it and and persevere.
Now I am getting to the point where I am hating and cursing any form of exertion, but know I can't stop until I get back home! Push! Push! OMFG! There's that stupid Tater tot, again! and he's still freakin' smiling! I must have been pumped full of something 'cause before I know it I'm flipping off that stupid Tatertot, and proceed to finish that bike ride in record time!!!

Fast food................... You have no power over me!

Snow day!?!?

Ok, only in the south can school be canceled due to winter weather and you wake up in the morning and not only is there no snow.....but no evidence of even a rain drop. When it was announced last night that school was canceled the little one shouted and jumped around the room and even I was a little excited for her, but now all I can think is "Great now we have to make up a day on some other vacation day." I guess becoming an adult makes one more of a curmudgeon. It does, however bring back memories of snow days in the north.

Growing up in Upstate NY, I am no a stranger to snow. It is in fact one of the reasons I moved south. I never really loved the snow as a kid. I remember my mom forcing me to go outside to play in it. Seriously, she would put my coat on me and literally push me out the door! I never liked to sled or ski or anything outside in the snow. Let's just say the snow and I had issues. The one thing I did appreciate from the snow was the occasional day off from school. And though it seemed they were very sparse the older we got, a snow day was always a welcomed day off.

They always start the same way. Early in the morning between 4:00 and 5:00 am the house phone would ring.( like we had anything else but a house phone then!) That was the clue that there might be a chance of no school that day. See, my dad was the president at the local community college and it was his job to decide whether classes were canceled due to the weather. Would I go back to sleep and wait for him to inform us that school was on or not? No! I would go downstairs to the kitchen with my dad. The coffee would be made and he would turn on the radio and listen to the road conditions, cancellations and make his decision. It was so high tech this canceling school thing. It involved some secret code that only the administrators who could cancel school had. I often wondered what one could do with such a code!

There were times when the public school closing was announced while we were listening but most of the time I remember my dad finding out when he called the stations with his decision. I would jump up and down and shout in excitement. Then I would proceed to inform my siblings of our instant vacation day. They would all go back to sleep but I never took advantage of the chance for extra sleep. By then I was always wide awake. I remember lots of reading, playing games and TV watching for me on those days. My siblings would venture out and play in the snow. Occasionally, you might have found me outside for a brief moment. I don't recall ever having to make up those days, and that could be why we loved them, perhaps we just enjoyed the free day or maybe we just didn't care.

So I think that that will be my attitude today. I don't care if I have to work an extra day to make up this day! I think I will hunker down with a good book, play some games with my family, cook something comforting and just enjoy the day.
Oh, wait !!! I think I see a few flakes falling outside! OMG, call the National Guard! It's a blizzard!! This is serious now, we maybe home for days!!!!