Happy Halloween

What is better than having October 31 off from work and school?

The spooktacular day had [at school] on the eve of Halloween.

So I present to you "the office".

If you dare to enter through the front door




The dead have been awakened

(Vampiress, Dead Bride & Dracula)

(ve vant to bite your neck)

Here's wishing everyone a trick-r-treat filled Halloween!

Two Day Vacation

No zero hour for two days almost feels like a two day vacation. But, when I am beginning to enjoy sleeping past 530am I will be summoned by my alarm clock for two final days of zero hour. Just in case I forget why I am waking in the morning...this is my reminder.

The Great Thaw

I sat there shivering in the cold while I blogged in my head

Why am I here? Is it my commitment to supporting my daughter? Maybe it is my love for my Alma mater--this not the case. Is it a cold October night and football that has its own distinct scent of fall drawing me here? Whatever the reason I am here the wind cuts into my skin like steel stakes piercing, the wind lingers on my hands and cheeks like the sting of a bee. The only part of my body not frozen is the drip that comes from my nose. Last years Kleenex, which looks like a slice of Swiss cheese, resting in the pocket of a resurrected ski jacket awakened from hibernation was a new found friend. I shivered like a leaf in the wind.

Let me put it in plain terms...I WAS FREAKING COLD AT THE FOOTBALL GAME LAST NIGHT! (I'm planning a move south) A great game, over time, nail biting game, only to lose in the end.

My body, which felt like the frozen tundra, thawed around 6am; just in time to wake to wish D a Happy 14th Birthday.

Time. I suppose this is the one thing that I would wish could remain frozen. My baby is growing to quickly!

Shut Up and Sip Your Wine

Do you ever start to blog and then realize the words you are putting down are nothing more than a rant that serves only yourself? I have been, with great restrain, holding my tongue. I would really like to go on a tangent. Then the precision processor in me reminds that tangents serve no real purpose and solve nothing.

In this case, nothing will change what aggravates me...no angers me. Some people in this world would rather live a selfish existence rather than a selfless one.

Just know the bottle of wine in the fridge, I used last weekend to make chicken, is offering up a calming effect--for me.

As I sip my wine I also remember that person who aggravates is so insignificant to the things that really need attention; like my mother-in-law.

And, with that said, I almost feel better.

Ty Funga Runga

I managed last year to stay very healthy while working in the elementary school system. This year not so. And the 08/09 school year has barely sprung from the calendar pages.

But I have it.

Again.

I'm not digging feeling like this; all tired and run down, sore throat, snot draining. Hot and cold.

The janitor named it--ty funga runga.

That may be code for: feeling like total shit...I mean crap.

I am off now to curl under my fresh sheets and drift away. First, a medicine cabinet concoction.

Java And Morning Thoughts

I've been up since 5am. Uhg. Creating buns. Double uhg. Those God forsaken roaring 20's color guard buns. Half days of school and Friday BOA competition will drive girls (in numbers) to sleep at my house just to get a good bun.

America, I believe, at least a good handful, are looking at the VP candidate to where they will be casting there vote...I can no longer look to Paris as my write in candidate. Rhianna. Why? Ruined it for me.

I will need to finish cutting (well shaving) King Ralph's head this morning. Last night the trimmer crapped out when I had half his head shaved. I don't know, what do you think of the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde hair style. In? Or out?

It is so good to have Princess A home for four days. Even if she talks more about her new "mom". I feel like I am in competition these days with a teenager.

I'm thinking D is sleeping through her alarm. This is not good.

Morning thoughts coming to an abrupt end.

Office October Holiday Guidelines

We did it. We agreed on a theme. Amen.

Because Halloween has gone from cute adorable children screaming out trick-r-treat to pillow cases in extended greed abound arms crammed in the face of the generous, expecting candies, with no preempting or gratitude. Because costumes have gone from ghoulish cute to pole dancing delicious. I am here to set the office staff straight as we plan our highly anticipated themed Halloween office decorations. Sssshhh now, it's an Old Fashion Haunted Halloween House. (if you dare to spill the beans I am sending the grim reaper after you)

This my friends is Hookerween:

And this my friends is Halloween:
If you are one of those skinny bitches in the office who can pull off Hookerween feel free to pole dance your way door to door for Snicker bars--after 330pm.

Ideas now. I need some ideas of an old fashion spooky Halloween costume (maybe even to borrow my size ten caboose). Oh ya, and if you have a fog machine that we can borrow we'll take it.

Save Room for Jesus

Like all the great drummers that have gone before; Ringo Starr, Neil Peart, Keith Moon...then there is M's marching band bass drummer date...who I will refer to as "the boy" (and I would like more if he had a date with the barber)

(Which by the way, what is up with these boys and the no jacket fashion? I mean pinning a boutonniere to a dress shirt, not so easy.)

To liven things up F-Uncle Dan stopped by to give his F-uncle approval (which is still pending). Of course such a task requires hilly billy (fake) teeth and a fart machine in the pocket so, he sounded as if he was breaking wind he went for the F-Uncle feeler hand shake. M simply looked at "the boy's" mother and said "meet my family". The mother coming to snap pictures ruined King Ralph's whole planned speech; which I am sure he will be giving at another opportune time.
There was the gathering with many friends for some pre-dance photos

The group grew some more

My parting words to M's date as they left for the dance, or should I say dinner--"save room for Jesus".

And, I, was, not, kidding!

"The boy" is still in the process of having his date my daughter application being processed. Processing may take...a-hell-of-a-long-time.

Really--here's to tons of fun at LHS's Shanghai High Night's homecoming dance

ReAsoNS tHat THurSdaY HaD tO Be a BetTEr dAY

Wednesday.

I wore a lavender bra with a cream t-shirt. I had just gotten to the middle school to drop off the forgotten field trip money when I realized I forgot to change my bra to match my change in wardrobe choice. The secretary promised me you could not tell, that my t-shirt was thick enough to mask the color.

Then. This.

I exited my car, took ten steps, and my favorite sandals snapped. I was left with two choices A. walk barefoot through the office and school or B. call King Ralph to make me an emergency shoe purchase and delivery. I opted for choice B. He did good! I am the proud owner of a cute pair of black slip on Sketchers. Thank goodness I chose the black and white ensemble for the day. Bonus: the shoes are great rope jumping shoes when I feel the desire to engage in some playground fun.

Could it get any worse?

Yes.

I spent way to long combing the county for cherry red shoes to match the little black dress M will be wearing to homecoming. First we battled that $70 for a pair of shoes for a girl just shy of 16 years old was not going to happen. We settled on a pair of black shoes at Target for $27. Only then to realize I left my wallet in the car...the car I wasn't driving.

I came home changed into my PJ's, fell asleep on the couch and tried to forget that Wednesday was truly a hump day for me.

So I know you are wondering, was Thursday a better day?

Let's just say King Ralph was so good at picking out my emergency shoes that he felt brave enough to take Maddi to find her homecoming shoes...and he found the cherry red shoes at the $40 limit we set.

Amen!

Now if that doesn't make me want to fall in love all over again I don't know what would.

(Time Delayed) Reflection

Sometimes weekend events are so thrilling it is worth stopping everything to put it in black and white…sometimes it takes a while to digest all the excitement--and gain some much needed reflection energy.

THINGS TO FORGET:
1. As I prepared to head out the door so M could take her drivers permit test D informed me the dehumidifier exploded, blowing black stuff all over the floor. I needed to check this out for myself. It was more than a dehumidifier explosion it was a sewer back up. A back up on a weeks plus worth of laundry, for a family of four, just dropped in the center of the laundry room—now covered in poo. No permit attained on this day instead, I mopped and scrapped and moved at a record pace. You see I had to be at the high school in an hour and a half.
2. The lack of sleep all weekend
3. Using the Johnny-on-the-Spot...I can't even reflect it was so horrifying!

THINGS THAT FOREVER CHANGED MY LIFE:
1. Being on a coach bus with about 60 marching band girls for 4 hours; two days in a row.
2. Watching the movie Disturbia (it was agreed that this movie should have won every Oscar statue that is offered)
3. Watching the movie Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift (the band director determined the moral of this movie is that there is underground racing in every country. I determined the moral was there is bootylicious in every underground racing ring in every country)
4. Watching the movie Tremors (because nothing will scare you to death than a giant man eating earth worm)
5. Making Roaring 20’s hair-do’s for 14 on a bus while inhaling hairspray and hair gel
6. Having my own chaperon hotel room complete with a king size bed. I used all five pillows, because I could, not because I needed to. I fell asleep with the TV on. I also used every bath towel because I didn’t have to share and because I just wanted too.
7. Seeing a gas station in the KC area that read $2.99 a gallon.
8. Watching Ray the bus driver puff cigars like a smoking chimney. Then driving the bus hacking up his left lung (also driving a little fast and furious from listening to the movie while driving, screeching halts at red lights while those in row one on the bus got a better view of the windshield)
9. Taking a restroom break at the truck stop and doing a little window shopping with a band director (truck stop hats are the fashion statement of the day).

10. Dive jumping on the hotel room beds and capturing it on film (does this compromise good chaperon behavior or just make me a cool, no an insane chaperon?)

11. Leaving Jillian’s cross (she got from Granny for her first communion in my hotel room)


HAPPY ENDINGS:
1. Watching The Bucket List (a movie the adults picked for the bus ride home, thank God)
2. Not being able to finish watching Tremors (since we got back to school before the movie was half way in)
3. Winning second place in the Bluesprings Marching Competition 6A prelims, getting best effect and best solo-Jazz ensemble
4. Winning third and getting best music in the finals (it was a tough competition and the kids should be proud)

5. Coming home to cleared sewer pipes and King Ralph and D doing all the laundry (and he said for the last 21 years he did not know how to do laundry)
6. Jillian finding a replacement necklace that all I have to do is give her money to make me feel less guilty for leaving her sentimental jewelry in room 411.
7. Going to bed at 9pm on Sunday.
8. M finally getting her drivers permit on Monday

840pm is not to early

After spending the greater part of my three day weekend with the 188 members of the high school marching band...on a coach bus to boot--840PM is not to early for bed.

So I am headed there-- now.

That is, if, I have the energy to crawl to my bed. Which is questionable.

We'll talk tomorrow.

I have stories to tell.

Wonder what they think now

When I visited Princess A for parents weekend-- this is how the girls of the eighth floor at East where thinking in terms of politics (and many first time voters.)



Wonder what they are thinking now that they, we hope, watched the VP debate. Will some of those yellow post-it notes change sides?

We all know I am casting my vote for Paris Hilton...Mickey Mouse already has about six percent of the vote, each election.