Snow --One,Two-- Day 2009

Have I ever told you about my neighbor and his fricking snow blower.? Never fails (I think it may be a calculated move) every time I have the shovel in my hand, prepared to really work a sweat up, he comes out with his snow blower and clears his driveway in no time at all. To add insult to injury he blows the sidewalk in front of his house clear. He never looks in the direction of those of us shovel handed. I really love my neighbor but every time it snows I feeling like flipping him the bird.

I am not jealous. I am just dam envious. I can work this shovel and make the driveway look...as good as that snow blowed driveway.

How about if I tell you about what made me smile on this two day snow vacation.

There is the girls playing in the snow, celebrating the announcement of a second day off school, that seems to brighten the landscape in the darkness of the night.
Then the dog playing in the snow and the dents in the snow the girls left for there winter's night frolic that look like Clifford the Big Red Dog visited our front yard. I don't know maybe something real was stompinging through the yard?
How 'bout some sledding. Yes. Sledding with a friend, even better. Snow angels. Oh ya. We love sledding and making snow angels!



Now it's time to get back to reality. The snow has stopped falling, the roads are cleared and school/work beacons. Thanks Mother Nature for a few days of winter fun.

Grease Lightening

Last year's musical was so painfully long that my future sister-in-law left the theater saying something like, I would rather have my wisdom teeth pulled than sit through another Sperreng musical. Guess what, she got her wisdom teeth pulled yesterday and missed a good middle school musical. All kidding aside...

Sometimes it is time to say good-bye. To move on. But, before you do you have to have one last moment on the "big"stage. That is just what last night's closing performance was for D. Her last middle school musical--GREASE.

The Pink Ladies just before they sang "Freddy My Love"

D sang her heart out as "Jan". Sam-- or otherwise known for the night as "Roger"-- sang as well as any prepubescent boy can. Got to love those boys with there Peter Brady singing voice crackles. And, so, the two belt out the duet "Crooning"--Roger and Jan.

D got a big laugh with this line as Jan:

Doody- Hey, Crooner. You shouldn't be eatin' that cheeseburger. It's still Friday, y'know!

Roger- Ah, for cryin' out loud. What'dja remind me for? Now I gotta go to confession.

Jan- Well, I can eat anything. That's the nice thing about bein' a Lutheran.

I suppose the large group of Lutherans in the theater, me included, found it funny.

Costume change. Johnny Casino sing "Hand Jive Baby" and start the dance contest.

One last costume change with a rendition of "You're the One That I Want"

To end the night a final chorus of "We Go Together" as the cast takes the bow.... (Okay so the actual bow pictures didn't turn out)
before the eighth graders presented a thank you gift to there drama teacher

King Ralph came from work with a bouquet of roses for his "Pink Lady" as her devote fan club gathered round for a snap shot to say "GREAT JOB D!

This is all I have to say

I wake this morning, like all Americans to our country being guided by a new man. A man who says he is up for the challenge. (Let the fast track of aging begin). A man that some how has his name on more buttons, hats and T-shirts than any other president. Whose head is immortalized as a Chia Pet.

I am sickened in a time when our country and its people has such deep financial struggles that hundreds of millions of dollars where spent to produce such spectacle and grandeur. I wonder what our fore fathers would have thought. I guess I feel justified to say this because I am one of the few Americans with no credit card debt...actually the only debt my husband and I have is our mortgage and we have money in the bank for those emergencies (which have not yet arouse). Yesterday could have been a day to turn the leaf over and show transition with simplicity.

Yesterday I read a good post Lin logged and this was my response. This will be my only blogged political comment.

I keep repeating these words to people when they say how "historical" today's inauguration was-- We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

If we Americans would believe "all men are created equal" then it wouldn't be about a "black" man becoming president it would be about a man becoming president; and that in itself made today's swearing in of the 44th USA President historical-- as was the first and the forty-third president's inauguration. Pointing out races or genders builds barriers of prejudice.

Now I watched the inauguration, everyone at work did from the five year olds to the...well us grown ups. I watched as I do every four years. I watched because I am an American. I watched because I believe it is just as important to say farewell to one as it is to say welcome and good wishes to the new man and his family.

Our country will only prosper and grow as we believe in our country's greatness together. We are a fractured nation. It was not the fault of one man, Bush. It is the fault of many--politicians and citizens. We will just have sit back and hope everything President Obama spoon fed those who desired change he can bring to fruition.

I say that with a great deal of trepidation.

I want nothing more than goodness for our nation, for our people.

Anatomony Lesson 101

Go figure the organ that causes my pain is the organ that is an ugly green color.

Come on, wouldn't you want to be sucked out if you were the only green thing living in a world of pretty pink and red.

Grease and the Gall Bladder

Or is it the gallbladder and grease?

I'll give the Reader's Digest version: felt like crap all week, sudden unexplained nausea on Sunday, some serious redneck belching, enough gas to fuel all of Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler, and GM's cars (just from consuming water)...then Thursday at work the WORST pain I have felt to date (okay second to childbirth, but at least there was a prize at the end of that pain; x3). The pain made me sweat. I read a book to my third classes and I can't even tell you what I read. I do remember telling myself not to let the kids know I was in pain so I concentrated on reading with affliction and pausing where there was a comma. Then I walked to the Guidance Office to grab work from my box, but before I could make it there I had to collapse in my co-worker's office and hold back my tears. "It's your gall bladder" my BWF says. Probably so. That was the doctor's speculation last July when I saw her for something similar...although I thought I probably just had a fart trapped in my chest. This was no trapped fart in the chest the pain was so sudden it had to be something bigger than gas. So after leaving work, heading to the doctor, then to the hospital for testing and blood draws this morning I await the verdict if I get to keep the organ or not.

If organs are exspellable why the hell do we have them to begin with? It could have spared myself a great deal of pain.

Then being the supportive mom I am I made my way over to the middle school to see D perform as Jan in the school's adaptation of Grease. Thankfully this week's performances are just dress rehearsals--a little tweaking is needed (not to mention line memorization).

THE LATEST
The doctor called me at work to say yep seems I am in need of lightening my organ load. I have tucked in my pocket the name of a surgeon.

Just when I thought I was going to go down in history as one of the few humans to keep every body part--I will soon lose on that claim.

In the mean time I am fearful of eating anything good, fatty and greasy; like a single square of pizza (the culprit of my extreme pain episode). So if you see me grazing in the yard on dried up grass and drinking from the hose--you'll understand.

House of Estrogen

M has a new line she enjoys, in her sassy playful manner, spieling out to King Ralph when he does something or says something so male that it irritates me.

"Go put your sweater vest on and go sit in the corner."

It must be hell living in the House of Estrogen. I feel sorry for King Ralph for about...well not for much time at all. It was his genetics that bestowed all this estrogen into his castle.

Besides, I am of the belief he looks dashing in a sweater vest.

This House Has Its CrAzY On

The girls are crazed with sister silliness. Princess A and M have bestowed each other with new nicknames--"Teacake" and "Chili Dog". So all we seem to hear echoing through the house is screams of "TEEEEEACAKE" responded with a "CHILLLLLI-DOG!"

They are sisters re-bonding--soon to be torn apart.

Then I have D being the harassing little sister chasing Teacake and Childog around the house with her smelly socks. The green knee socks can only be said to be fit for a bio hazard container. I will launder them first fitted with a pair of rubber gloves.

I think the three of them forgot to read the memo I sent out about my new flat screen TV (recessed in the wall of my bedroom ornamented with a King Ralph hand crafted oak picture frame); no one watches my TV lounged on my bed expect the top royalty--Keeper and the King.

So I find the three of them sprawled upon my bed watching one of those Hollywood award shows and messing with me...I tell you messing with me and my Clapper. I clap my hands to turn on my light and the three of them start clapping in a crazy pattern to create the epic Clapper failure. They did it again and again till I blew my stack. I just wanted light and a moment to stretch out on the bed, MY BED, and relax. Now the Clapper's mojo is off--the dam thing turns off randomly. THERE IT GOES AGAIN TURNING OFF. The Clapper is male. I swear nothing female would screw with you this much.

When I finally chased two-thirds out only to find myself once again surrounded by the whole gang of offspring as they help D practice her school musical lines. Before you know it they break out in a chorus of Summer Loving and Sandra D.

Then they return to helping D practice scene two.

All the while the Hollywood award show plays on the flat screen...Rascal Flats comes on and they all begin singing together, life is a highway I'm gonna ride it all night long (and the Clapper turns off again and one of them claps to light us up again). They are driving me nuts, mad. However, it's sweet. So sisterly.

Before you know it I am no longer annoyed that I am not relaxing in my bedroom all alone.

This company, my girls, is totally warming my heart. Every giggle. Every soured note sang.

I must part--a trio of Beauty School Dropout is on stage...and the lights have lowered, unprompted, for the occasion.

DAM CLAPPER!

What's Your Flava

I can be found in my bed--on this last day of Christmas break-- curled up with my new book. My little brother gifted me with the book 501 Must-Drink Cocktails.

If I study hard enough and perfect the "lab requirements" I may be able to be the resident bartender in my brother's backyard cabana bar; he built (with a bit of King Ralph's help) this past fall. I'll need one of those Bartender Institute certificates as proof I am worthy.

I think I should I pop in a Beatles CD and mix myself an Abbey Road. Or, maybe, I should connect with the spirit of Audrey Hepburn and mix myself a Fair Lady. So many choices. So may drinks.

So I ask what's your flava?

Good-Bye 2008, Hello 2009

I am going to take a hiatus now from party hosting. As Princess A puts it; cleaning the house to white glove standard every other day (or at least this is how it feels) is growing old. My mind and body are equally weary.

So my resolution: to refrain from hosting anything at the abode till the Good Friday Fish Fry and Moonlight Egg Hunt. This should be an easy resolution to keep.

Since I went to bed at 2am, way-way past my normal and usual bedtime I will simply tell the story of the New Year's Eve Black and White Sweet Sixteen Party with pictures.

Enjoy!

There was dancing...

and more dancing. There was presents...

and cake...

with 16 candles to blow.

Family and friends being silly...

Finally, the ringing in of the New Year-- with confetti and fire crackers...

champagne and sparkling cider toasts

All this fun made these two high school friends feel sixteen all over again Remembering that 16 years ago we crawled in bed at 2am for a different reason...but for the same great girl.
Here's wishing everyone a wonderful 2009 filled with as many great memories as 2008 held.