Monday, August 30, 2010

The Old Gray Mare Just Ain't What She Used to Be

It's 9:47 p.m. as I write this...

I'm flipping exhausted.

Remember back when it was time to go OUT at 10:00 p.m.??? Cripes! What have I become?

Wanna know why I'm so tired????

Because I spent 2 and 1/2 hours up at the school tonight - VOLUNTEERING for my kids' activities.

Cripes, again!

Everything from reading to the class to nature walks to working in the school garden to (eeek) handling reptiles.


WTF? (my mom loves that comment - she can cuss without really cussing)


Where did I go? How did I become a middle aged stay-at-home-mom? Why can I make a mean lasagna now but can't run a half a mile without feeling faint and nauseous?


Did I mention I have to call the exterminator tomorrow? (ADHD is kicking in... sorry) because we have MICE? Ack. Every time I go out to the garage, I see them skittering all over the freakin' place. Ack. Perhaps I'll borrow a reptile from the 3rd grade exhibit to 'take care of business'... :)

Next week I'm going to be 41. (shhhhhhhh) Ally still thinks I'm closer to 80. (ouch)

I don't know which is worse, being 40 and feeling 80 or being 80 and feeling 40. Either way, I'm not sure how it happened. You blink, it's gone.

NOT that I'm saying I want to go back... no. no. no.

It's just strange that these same eyes are looking out of a face that I don't really recognize.

And what the hell are liver spots, by the way?

I guess it beats the alternative.


One of my friends (of my Viviene Westmoreland family) took his own life on August 3rd.


It's been tough.

What to tell the kids?
When do we all feel better?
What to do to help?


Why?

Why?

Why?


One of my Mark's high school buddies said it best at the Memorial service when he said, 'the devil came in and stole my friend in a vulnerable moment.'


He nailed it.


I just wish my friend had seen the devil coming for him. Maybe he could've dodged him.

I've danced with the devil in my past. I'm so glad I made it out alive.

I swear, there's a separate God for idiots and children.

I shouldn't be alive today. (Me, being in the 'idiot' category)

Seeing Danny's face when I told him tonight that I was volunteering for the 'reptile' exhibit at school and hearing him say 'YAY, MOM!' was priceless.

I'm glad the devil decided that I wasn't worth it...

RIP Mark. You are missed every day, my brother.

Friday, July 2, 2010

The Woobie Addiction

Wanna hear something funny?

My son and I both have a 'woobie'.

His is called 'blankee' and mine is called a 'snuggie'

I guess I've passed on my love of all things tactile.

I'm thinking that it's like love at first sight, or feel, in this case.


Danny's blankee came to us not via a baby shower or the usual way, but from Delta airlines.

Before he turned two, we went to NH for Christmas. You've heard the old adage, 'you can't get there from here'? Well that applies to all flights into NH. Of course there it sounds like:

"You can't get theyah from heyah"

But once again I'm wandering. (Hey, it's easy to do at 3:31 a.m.)

After several layovers, stopovers, cancelled and delayed flights we were finally on our way to our final destination and my poor baby was exhausted. The flight attendant was kind enough to cover him as he slept on my lap with one of those navy blue 'freebie' blankets (remember how they used to have those in the 'olden days'?) and he has refused to let go ever since.


I used to panic that he'd lose it and never be able to sleep again. I would ask family and friends who were flying to "pick-up" a blanket or two on their flights for use as back-up.


Did you know that there's a difference in airline blankets? Yup, neither did I. But I tell you what.. my son knew and knows. His blanket is his blanket for better or worse and it works for him.








Now I on the other hand....

I received my snuggie as a borderline joke gift this Christmas. I was complaining, as usual, about how cold I was.

But.... here's the thing....

When you complain via Facebook... you get results.


The next thing I know, not even an hour after posting my discomfort, a snuggie arrives at my front door.

(Thank you Lisa!)


Now, for those of you who may not know, the snuggie lives up to the hype.

It DOES keep you warm!

It DOES keep your hands free!

and it IS addicting


It's not the warmth factor that got me.

It's the damn tag.

Oh my gosh. It's like crack cocaine.

I swear it's why I'm not sleeping!

I don't even wear the dang thing anymore! I just hang onto the sleeve and run it through my fingers.
Over and over and over again.


My son, who's eight, has the good sense to put his blanket aside to fall asleep. But I can't let go!

I'll have to see if there's a 12-step program for this one.




Thursday, July 1, 2010

Paulette the menace to society


Ummmm... Hello...... My name is Amy....... don't know if you remember me or not. It's been a while.


Sheesh! A while is an understatement!


I am actually being shamed into blogging again by someone in New Hampshire... (you know who you are, BRIAN). He used the classic combination of flattery and smack-down all in one. So, here we are...


One of the reasons I stopped writing was due to 'circumstances' beyond my control.


One of our friends was in a horrible car accident just after New Years and I took on the responsibility of keeping a daily blog as to his status and progress for about 3+ months. I have learned more than I ever hoped to know about brain injuries. If you want to read his amazing story, you can check it out at: stacytempleton.wordpress.com If you start from the very bottom you can see what a journey he and his family have had to take this year.


As for our little corner of the world, the kids are great (I think). I dunno... I haven't seen them in weeks! They are doing the 'Camp Buelo' thing. The in-laws offered to take the kids for a couple of weeks.... and I have YET to offer to take them back!


God love 'em... they ALL sound exhausted. :)


I just got back from a visit to New Hampshire.

An entire week with the folks.

Just me.

and them.

and the dog.


Paulette, the dog, has mixed feelings about me.

Granted, I'm fun, but damn, I rocked her world when I showed up there at my folks' house.


They've all settled in to a comfortable routine and she is the alpha leader.


I, on the other hand, am Queen Bee, and will bow to no one, man NOR beast.


We had a struggle, needless to say.


The bitch bit me.



'What did you DO to her, Amy?' my mom says.


'Nothing, Ma.... she just whirled around and got me!'


'I find that very hard to believe... that she would do that... she's a good girl'

(which apparently, I, as her first-born, am not)


I've known for quite some time that I was not the favorite child. I've come to terms with that. But now I rank below the damn dog. Wow!


Friggin' Paulette.


I guess I should mention that she comes up to about mid shin and weighs in at 17 lbs.

Doesn't make her any less of a bitch though!




Look what this vicious thing is doing to that poor teletubbie.