I saw our scooter for the first time today. It's kinda cute. Needs a little paint work and still isn't fully tuned-up but it's going to be kind of fun to have. Unless tuning it changes things quite a bit, we won't ever be able to take it off neighborhood streets. In theory it can go up to 40mph, but Branden says the top speed he could get it to was between 20 and 25mph.
I drove it for the first time as well. I'll admit, I was a little freaked out. I was sure that I'd fall down. :P But I didn't fall and I'll eventually get the hang of really driving it... Not that it'll ever be REALLY driving.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Mostly Fixed Faucet and Girl Scout Cookies
My faucet is mostly fixed. Apparently the filters at the end of the faucet were clogged with calcium. All Branden had to do was take off the end of the faucet- I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know it- and put the filters in vinegar. Unfortunately, one was SO badly clogged that it will be forever unusable. This means that we must purchase a new one and, until then, my kitchen sink spits out water with sediment in it. Kinda gross, huh? It's hard to drink water like that... And I'm always thirsty.
On a different note, Branden bought an entire case of Girl Scout Cookies this afternoon. Twelve boxes of cookies! He may need the calories, but I don't. Thankfully, nine boxes are Tagalongs which he has no intention of sharing with me. Three boxes, on the other hand, are Thin Mints and he knows that those are my favorites. This is a problem. He likes them, too, but nowhere near as much as I do and I know I'll end up eating most of those... Which will then make me more thirsty and we're back to the faucet. :P
On a different note, Branden bought an entire case of Girl Scout Cookies this afternoon. Twelve boxes of cookies! He may need the calories, but I don't. Thankfully, nine boxes are Tagalongs which he has no intention of sharing with me. Three boxes, on the other hand, are Thin Mints and he knows that those are my favorites. This is a problem. He likes them, too, but nowhere near as much as I do and I know I'll end up eating most of those... Which will then make me more thirsty and we're back to the faucet. :P
Thursday, March 12, 2009
My Kitchen Faucet Is Broken
The faucet in our kitchen isn't working. It stopped working last night and Branden "didn't have time" to fix it right then. In other words, I'm not happy with him because I need it fixed and he is choosing to play WoW instead of fixing it. He didn't even come to bed until 2:30 AM because he was so "busy!"
Ok, I'm more than unhappy, I'm slightly angry. I knew it wouldn't get fixed today as he'd already planned to go pick up the vintage scooter that he was owed after doing some plumbing work. So today we ordered pizza for dinner. I hate to do it, but Branden doesn't understand that I can't make dinner without water and there are already two days' worth of dirty dishes in the sink/on the counter. (If you didn't know, our TINY kitchen is without dishwasher and I have to wash all dishes by hand in the one-compartment sink.)
He's promised that he'll LOOK at the faucet tomorrow. It's something, but not really enough. I need it FIXED. It's almost mind-blowing to realize that the only other place to get a drink of water is the bathroom. Of course, the bathroom sink is tiny, it's not as if I can do dishes in there.
I won't be too surprised if I'm quite a bit MORE angry tomorrow when the faucet still isn't fixed. In that case, expect a full-on rant.
Ok, I'm more than unhappy, I'm slightly angry. I knew it wouldn't get fixed today as he'd already planned to go pick up the vintage scooter that he was owed after doing some plumbing work. So today we ordered pizza for dinner. I hate to do it, but Branden doesn't understand that I can't make dinner without water and there are already two days' worth of dirty dishes in the sink/on the counter. (If you didn't know, our TINY kitchen is without dishwasher and I have to wash all dishes by hand in the one-compartment sink.)
He's promised that he'll LOOK at the faucet tomorrow. It's something, but not really enough. I need it FIXED. It's almost mind-blowing to realize that the only other place to get a drink of water is the bathroom. Of course, the bathroom sink is tiny, it's not as if I can do dishes in there.
I won't be too surprised if I'm quite a bit MORE angry tomorrow when the faucet still isn't fixed. In that case, expect a full-on rant.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
I Wish I'd Had A Camera!!
Neither one of our cats is particularly brilliant, however, Branden's cat just did something incredibly stupid and TOTALLY HILARIOUS.
Allow me to set the scene: We have a mulberry tree/bush in our front yard. Now that the snow is melting and birds are coming back, we have relatively large flocks of migrating birds taking breaks in our yard to eat last year's berries. We used to have a desk in front of the front window where the cats would sit and watch the birds longingly but we moved it to set up the Christmas tree back in December. When the tree came down, it seemed like a wise choice to leave the desk away from the window as we actually haven't informed our landlords of 14 months that we have cats- and have had cats for years. So the cats- mostly Branden's cat, Samantha- watch what birds they can see from the floor a good three or four feet away from the window.
As she was staring up at the window just now, a flock of birds took off from the tree. Sam, being the intelligent cat that she is, LEAPED up and JUMPED at the window, slamming head-first into the glass before falling straight into a box of Branden's tools that has been hanging out in that corner! This, of course, FREAKED her out and she went STREAKING out of the room, only to run into the CLOSED door before finding her way through the open door right next to it. I laughed so hard I was crying. I'm still having the occasional bought of giggles. *giggling sigh* Oh, we have dumb pets!
Allow me to set the scene: We have a mulberry tree/bush in our front yard. Now that the snow is melting and birds are coming back, we have relatively large flocks of migrating birds taking breaks in our yard to eat last year's berries. We used to have a desk in front of the front window where the cats would sit and watch the birds longingly but we moved it to set up the Christmas tree back in December. When the tree came down, it seemed like a wise choice to leave the desk away from the window as we actually haven't informed our landlords of 14 months that we have cats- and have had cats for years. So the cats- mostly Branden's cat, Samantha- watch what birds they can see from the floor a good three or four feet away from the window.
As she was staring up at the window just now, a flock of birds took off from the tree. Sam, being the intelligent cat that she is, LEAPED up and JUMPED at the window, slamming head-first into the glass before falling straight into a box of Branden's tools that has been hanging out in that corner! This, of course, FREAKED her out and she went STREAKING out of the room, only to run into the CLOSED door before finding her way through the open door right next to it. I laughed so hard I was crying. I'm still having the occasional bought of giggles. *giggling sigh* Oh, we have dumb pets!
Planning the Small Stuff
Last night I looked through a couple of wedding magazines and showed pics to Branden. I circled the things that we both agreed on. It's not a big step, but it's a cheap one- the magazines came from my work.
I have felt like we can't really plan when we don't even know where we'll be living when our lease is up. I guess I just need to get into the planning that can move with us. So we chose things like the ring-bearer pillow and ideas for centerpieces. We already have the colors, the silk leaves for the flower girl and the toasting glasses... I got the glasses about a year ago, actually. :P
I'm starting to get excited in a way that I haven't felt since Branden lost his job. There's a lot of planning to go and I'm still concerned about money... But I can dream and I can hope and I can plan the little things so when my life is more settled I'm ready to plan the big stuff. :)
I have felt like we can't really plan when we don't even know where we'll be living when our lease is up. I guess I just need to get into the planning that can move with us. So we chose things like the ring-bearer pillow and ideas for centerpieces. We already have the colors, the silk leaves for the flower girl and the toasting glasses... I got the glasses about a year ago, actually. :P
I'm starting to get excited in a way that I haven't felt since Branden lost his job. There's a lot of planning to go and I'm still concerned about money... But I can dream and I can hope and I can plan the little things so when my life is more settled I'm ready to plan the big stuff. :)
Monday, March 9, 2009
Nighttime Keep-You-Awake Itches
You know those times when you get yourself into a comfy position in bed and you're just about to doze off when all of a sudden you seem to itch everywhere? And you don't want to move because maybe it took a lot of persuading and moving to get there? Yeah, I HATE that.
Last night I had just managed to convince Branden to cuddle with me- this is very important to me, but that's another post- and I'd managed to get both of us just so, with his arms around me and my head in that nice hollow spot on his shoulder and my left foot sticking out of the covers, etc., when the nighttime itches hit. My nose itched, my forehead itched, my foot itched, my leg itched, my arm itched... And I DID NOT want to move! If I had moved then one or both of his arms would have stopped being around me! (Having arms around you is, of course, the most important part of being cuddled.)
So I very carefully snuck my right foot out and scratched my left foot and leg. Then I reached with my left hand and carefully scratched my nose and arm. I figured if I just pushed my forehead into his chin a little bit the itching there would stop. No such luck. Guess what? Beard hair makes itching worse... And he thought I was being odd and turned his head away a little bit. So now my forehead was REALLY itching and I decided to do a quick sneak attack on it- just kinda give it one good scratch. Well, I went a little overboard so now there are three small scabs at the top of my forehead, just at my hairline. And that's when my back started to itch...
I tried really hard not to move, but I couldn't help squirming and lost his left arm in the process. :( Thankfully, his right hand holds my left hand so I was able to keep a grip and not lose the other arm as well. Needless to say, he fell asleep well before I did as I was wide awake trying desperately to think of anything but scratching and finally had to give up and get every itch I could reach. But at least I managed to hold on to that one arm!
*Speaking of itches, if you ever have a good deal of time on your hands and feel like reading something out of the norm, you should check this out. It's a really interesting article, but it's also pretty long. Be warned: part of it is exploring the story of a woman who scratched though her own skull.*
Last night I had just managed to convince Branden to cuddle with me- this is very important to me, but that's another post- and I'd managed to get both of us just so, with his arms around me and my head in that nice hollow spot on his shoulder and my left foot sticking out of the covers, etc., when the nighttime itches hit. My nose itched, my forehead itched, my foot itched, my leg itched, my arm itched... And I DID NOT want to move! If I had moved then one or both of his arms would have stopped being around me! (Having arms around you is, of course, the most important part of being cuddled.)
So I very carefully snuck my right foot out and scratched my left foot and leg. Then I reached with my left hand and carefully scratched my nose and arm. I figured if I just pushed my forehead into his chin a little bit the itching there would stop. No such luck. Guess what? Beard hair makes itching worse... And he thought I was being odd and turned his head away a little bit. So now my forehead was REALLY itching and I decided to do a quick sneak attack on it- just kinda give it one good scratch. Well, I went a little overboard so now there are three small scabs at the top of my forehead, just at my hairline. And that's when my back started to itch...
I tried really hard not to move, but I couldn't help squirming and lost his left arm in the process. :( Thankfully, his right hand holds my left hand so I was able to keep a grip and not lose the other arm as well. Needless to say, he fell asleep well before I did as I was wide awake trying desperately to think of anything but scratching and finally had to give up and get every itch I could reach. But at least I managed to hold on to that one arm!
*Speaking of itches, if you ever have a good deal of time on your hands and feel like reading something out of the norm, you should check this out. It's a really interesting article, but it's also pretty long. Be warned: part of it is exploring the story of a woman who scratched though her own skull.*
Dad's Cake
Do you remember this blog? Here is a pic of the cake. It's not a great pic, but it's the best I've got.
Not too bad, all things considered. You can't even tell that anything was ever wrong with it from this angle. :) I'd love to have a top view, though. Stacy, if you got a better pic I'd love to see it and maybe get a copy.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
James is 18
I guess I have to apologize for the length of my last post. I have been informed that it could have been an epic novel. If I added a couple more words then you probably are right, Mikey. In light of this information, this post will be a short one.
Last night was James' 18th birthday party. We had a good time, though the guest of honor didn't show up till the party was 3/4 over. :P Pizza was good, cupcakes were good, company was good. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES!
Last night was James' 18th birthday party. We had a good time, though the guest of honor didn't show up till the party was 3/4 over. :P Pizza was good, cupcakes were good, company was good. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES!
Friday, March 6, 2009
My Lifetime Goal: To Raise My Kids Myself
Today I informed Branden how important it is to me that I raise my children. I don't want them in daycare, no family member is going to watch them and I am NOT going to let them just run amok while I work as he likes to say him mom did. (She did NOT. His aunt watched him until he was old enough to know better than to play in the street, etc.)
I've told him in the past that I was going to stay home with my kids. Today I really stressed that I want, no, I NEED to be there for all the firsts and all the falls and all the funny moments. I need to be a mom who provides lasting memories for her children. They need to remember me helping them climb the monkey bars and letting them "paint" with their feet and encouraging them to bring me little treasures. I need my kids to remember reality not TV, remember places we went not places they saw on Discovery Channel, remember made-up games not video games, remember me holding them when they cried not somebody at the daycare holding them. In short, I need my children to know that I loved them and that I cared enough about them to be there.
I know that you can work and still let your children know you love them. I have no doubt in my mind that certain working moms I know have children who feel very loved. But there are also things that those moms miss out on and, though I don't ever hold it against them that they are working, those moms will never get those moments back. I realize that it is sometimes absolutely necessary that both parents work... I have told Branden that we will find a way to make it with one parent working or me only working part time because it is that important to me.
My whole life I've wanted to be a mom and, to me, part of that is taking care of my children myself. He thinks it's stupid for us to be paying off my student loans when I'm not using the schooling. What he doesn't understand is that I'm ALWAYS using the schooling and it will still be there when our kids start school and I can work again. I told him that I wouldn't have even bothered with school if I had thought at that point in my life that I was going to find someone who wanted to marry me. It's true. I liked school and I'm glad I went but this job- and the schooling that goes with it- are just things to pass the time until I can raise a family. THAT is my ultimate goal and it means more to me than money or any business.
I think part of his not understanding is the way he was raised. His mom worked from the time he was born until I made more sense for her to stop... It's a long story involving taxes and trucks. He was with his aunt or on his own when she was working and he wasn't in school. That was just the way it was for him. It's not that his mother didn't ever take care of him or that she loved him less than my mother loved me, as far as I can tell she loved/loves him very much. He is her only child and they are quite close- thankfully not in an interfering way, though. She was a single mother until he was four and almost a single mother afterward as his father- really step, but the only dad he's ever known- is a long-haul trucker. She did what she felt she needed to do and I cannot fault her.
I was raised by a mom who stayed home, babysat people's kids and taught dance, tumbling and baton in her living room so she could be with her kids. My mom didn't have a job with a regular-type paycheck until I was in fourth grade and she drove school bus. Even then she could take the little kids with her. My mom worked hard to give us all those memories that I want to create. We were poor, my parents struggled, but it was important to her that she be there as much as possible while we grew up... So she was. Even when I was CONVINCED that she didn't love me and I MUST be adopted because she'd NEVER treat her own child so horribly... Somewhere inside I always knew that I was one of the most important things to her- one of nine as it turns out... Ten when you add in my dad.
I doubt that I'll be a super mom like some of the women I've had a chance to meet. I will never be as amazing as Katie or as creative as Stacy or as much of many other great things that I could list about many other great women... Though I do have a shot at being as CRAZY as my own mom. But one thing, one of the most important things, that I have a goal to be is THERE. I will decorate wedding cakes at my house with a toddler in a high chair banging a spoon if I have to, but I will find a way to be there with my children and I know they will remember that I was... And maybe it will mean enough to my daughter that she will vow to be home with her children, too.
I've told him in the past that I was going to stay home with my kids. Today I really stressed that I want, no, I NEED to be there for all the firsts and all the falls and all the funny moments. I need to be a mom who provides lasting memories for her children. They need to remember me helping them climb the monkey bars and letting them "paint" with their feet and encouraging them to bring me little treasures. I need my kids to remember reality not TV, remember places we went not places they saw on Discovery Channel, remember made-up games not video games, remember me holding them when they cried not somebody at the daycare holding them. In short, I need my children to know that I loved them and that I cared enough about them to be there.
I know that you can work and still let your children know you love them. I have no doubt in my mind that certain working moms I know have children who feel very loved. But there are also things that those moms miss out on and, though I don't ever hold it against them that they are working, those moms will never get those moments back. I realize that it is sometimes absolutely necessary that both parents work... I have told Branden that we will find a way to make it with one parent working or me only working part time because it is that important to me.
My whole life I've wanted to be a mom and, to me, part of that is taking care of my children myself. He thinks it's stupid for us to be paying off my student loans when I'm not using the schooling. What he doesn't understand is that I'm ALWAYS using the schooling and it will still be there when our kids start school and I can work again. I told him that I wouldn't have even bothered with school if I had thought at that point in my life that I was going to find someone who wanted to marry me. It's true. I liked school and I'm glad I went but this job- and the schooling that goes with it- are just things to pass the time until I can raise a family. THAT is my ultimate goal and it means more to me than money or any business.
I think part of his not understanding is the way he was raised. His mom worked from the time he was born until I made more sense for her to stop... It's a long story involving taxes and trucks. He was with his aunt or on his own when she was working and he wasn't in school. That was just the way it was for him. It's not that his mother didn't ever take care of him or that she loved him less than my mother loved me, as far as I can tell she loved/loves him very much. He is her only child and they are quite close- thankfully not in an interfering way, though. She was a single mother until he was four and almost a single mother afterward as his father- really step, but the only dad he's ever known- is a long-haul trucker. She did what she felt she needed to do and I cannot fault her.
I was raised by a mom who stayed home, babysat people's kids and taught dance, tumbling and baton in her living room so she could be with her kids. My mom didn't have a job with a regular-type paycheck until I was in fourth grade and she drove school bus. Even then she could take the little kids with her. My mom worked hard to give us all those memories that I want to create. We were poor, my parents struggled, but it was important to her that she be there as much as possible while we grew up... So she was. Even when I was CONVINCED that she didn't love me and I MUST be adopted because she'd NEVER treat her own child so horribly... Somewhere inside I always knew that I was one of the most important things to her- one of nine as it turns out... Ten when you add in my dad.
I doubt that I'll be a super mom like some of the women I've had a chance to meet. I will never be as amazing as Katie or as creative as Stacy or as much of many other great things that I could list about many other great women... Though I do have a shot at being as CRAZY as my own mom. But one thing, one of the most important things, that I have a goal to be is THERE. I will decorate wedding cakes at my house with a toddler in a high chair banging a spoon if I have to, but I will find a way to be there with my children and I know they will remember that I was... And maybe it will mean enough to my daughter that she will vow to be home with her children, too.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
I Own A Truck!
Ok, so it's still TECHNICALLY Branden's truck but LEGALLY it's mine.
Branden has had this truck for two and a half years but for the last year and a half it has pretty much sat out next to one garage or another. For a while he had a work truck and I had my Neon. Then he got fired but his truck hadn't been driven in so long that we'd let the registration and insurance lapse. Then my car died so we owned THREE broken cars (he also has a car that resides in the garage and may someday be fixed).
My parents gave us the Nissan which has only needed a few relatively minor repairs- one of which I caused by hitting a deer. Just yesterday Branden put a new radiator into his very orange 1981 Dodge Ram. This morning- for reasons I will later explain- he went to the city-county building and transferred the title to said truck into my name. Once it has been added to my insurance it'll be pretty much ready for the road.
Branden has a not-good driving record. Given a little time, we will be able to insure his vehicles in his name again. Until then, it's far cheaper to insure the truck in my name. The driving record also means that if a cop runs his plates- which they seem to do a lot around here- he is more likely to be pulled over and ticketed for any minor thing. Couple this with the insurance and it just makes more sense financially for us to put everything in my name. My driving record is almost clean- one accident in June of '06- and this summer even that will be gone. :)
We won't drive the truck very often because it still gets terrible gas mileage but it will be useful for moving and hauling. Because Branden now has a vehicle, I can drive myself to work again and MAYBE his tools will slowly move out of my car. There will be days that for some reason or other I will be driving the truck so it's good that it's a big, sturdy truck and Branden says I can pretty much hit whatever I want in it and still be fine. Not that I intend to hit anything.
Branden has had this truck for two and a half years but for the last year and a half it has pretty much sat out next to one garage or another. For a while he had a work truck and I had my Neon. Then he got fired but his truck hadn't been driven in so long that we'd let the registration and insurance lapse. Then my car died so we owned THREE broken cars (he also has a car that resides in the garage and may someday be fixed).
My parents gave us the Nissan which has only needed a few relatively minor repairs- one of which I caused by hitting a deer. Just yesterday Branden put a new radiator into his very orange 1981 Dodge Ram. This morning- for reasons I will later explain- he went to the city-county building and transferred the title to said truck into my name. Once it has been added to my insurance it'll be pretty much ready for the road.
Branden has a not-good driving record. Given a little time, we will be able to insure his vehicles in his name again. Until then, it's far cheaper to insure the truck in my name. The driving record also means that if a cop runs his plates- which they seem to do a lot around here- he is more likely to be pulled over and ticketed for any minor thing. Couple this with the insurance and it just makes more sense financially for us to put everything in my name. My driving record is almost clean- one accident in June of '06- and this summer even that will be gone. :)
We won't drive the truck very often because it still gets terrible gas mileage but it will be useful for moving and hauling. Because Branden now has a vehicle, I can drive myself to work again and MAYBE his tools will slowly move out of my car. There will be days that for some reason or other I will be driving the truck so it's good that it's a big, sturdy truck and Branden says I can pretty much hit whatever I want in it and still be fine. Not that I intend to hit anything.
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