Thursday, August 30, 2007

Gotta Laugh!

Ok, I am SO not feeling this today. I have a headache and other pains I won't go into cuz why complain. So I stole this from Blog, Blah, Blah to make me laugh and give you something to do. You know you want to know your sexy name...go get it and let me know!


Cutie Readily Imparting Sensual Touches and Intense, Naughty Affection


Get Your Sexy Name

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

A Food Meme!

Troy over at Pheasantly Fascinating tagged me with this food meme. Fun!

Favorite Gourmet Item: I think I'll go with oysters or maybe caviar or crab cakes (is that gourmet) or marinated artichoke hearts
Favorite Snack at Home: berries or grapes or popcorn; something little that I can keep grabbing and eating
Favorite Fast Food item: Quarter pounder with cheese and fries
Favorite Food When Driving: it's gotta be candy like Jolly Ranchers, you know a hard candy with strong flavor
Favorite Food With a Beer (or other libation - please specify): with beer - wings, with wine - cheese or chocolate
Favorite Food for Invoking Romantic Intentions: oysters, caviar, champagne with strawberries, strawberries dipped in chocolate
Least Favorite Food: Birthday cake, malanga, vanilla ice cream
Food that Conjures a Childhood Memory: so many...apple pie, Christmas cookies, chicken soup...
Food that Conjures a Sad Memory: can't think of a one
Food that Conjures a Happy
Memory: again, lots...Mango...Lipton iced tea (the powder mix)...spaghetti with meat sauce....traditional Thanksgiving...

You know this was harder than I thought it was going to be. I skipped around. Thought of something, then something else and went back and changed it or added it. As you see I couldn't just answer one thing. Oh well, there ya go! Take it if you need fodder for your blog!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Bye Abuelita

My husband's grandmother passed away last week. She was 93. A good long life. She went to sleep and just didn't wake up. A beautiful way to go, if you ask me. Peaceful, with out suffering or long hospital stays etc.

I remember when she came from Cuba for her visit that turned permanent in 1985. The entire clan went to greet her at the airport and then we all went to my in-laws house. We had champagne to celebrate the visit, she hadn't seen her daughter (my MIL) in 23 years. It was quite a reunion. I remember running out at 11:30 at night looking for an open super market to buy pears. That's right, the fruit. She hadn't had a fresh pear in she couldn't remember how long. My then boyfriend (now hubby) and I drove all over until we found a 24 hour grocery and came back with a dozen pears. Yeah, we went a little over the top. So, we all had pears and champagne. It was very festive.

In Cuba she left her sister and her son's 2 grandchildren, in their mid 20's by then. And here she lived with her daughter, close to her son and met her daughter's 2 grandchildren who she had only seen in a handful of pictures that she had been sent over the years. She walked in my wedding, she handmade a special wrap that both of my children used when they were born to go home from the hospital. I later sent it to Cuba so that the great-grandchildren there could use it too. When they finally came to the States, they brought it back and my sister-in-law used it too. All of her great-grand children used the same wrap. She helped care for my kids when they were newborn and many times cooked extra food and packed it up for me to take home and have a night off from the kitchen. For my birthday she would make Arroz con Leche, my favorite Cuban dessert and for my hubby she would make Natilla. She was a quiet Cuban woman not fitting the loud busybody sterotype. She was always there helping in little ways.

As her sight began to fail she fell and broke her hip a few years back and she was never the same. She wanted to be at the family gathering but be left alone. All the commotion and noise bothered her and she wanted up to be there but quiet. Well, we all gathered this weekend Abuelita and we quietly prayed and reminisced about you. Rest in peace abuelita. You are missed.

Friday, August 17, 2007

17 and still needs his mommy

I have always been told that I'm tough on my kids. Maybe I am but as we all know they didn't come with directions so like most I'm winging this parenthood and raising kids thing. Every age has its blessed moments and its I'm going to pull every hair out of my head moments. And I mean every age.


There's a saying in Spanish that my mother-in-law always says, "esta en la edad de la peseta" which I can't really translate. I guess it means something like "he's at that bothersome age". Anyway, she's been telling me that since 17 was 17 MONTHS old and now he's 17 YEARS old. So, when does it end. Technically, in a few months (November) he will 18 and as far as society rules go, I'm done. He's an adult. Now, 17 is a wonderful person I don't want this to come across like he's the devil incarnate. But he knows how to push the envelope (don't wonder, he got that from me). He's more anal retentive than I am but he knows how to have a good time too. But he's an all or nothing kind of person. There's no middle ground. He is going to do things HIS way. This was apparent when early on he decided that the proper way to get around was to crawl backwards (we tried to no avail to make him go forwards). He was lighting quick but backwards. We used to laugh then and say that I hope this isn't a sign of things to come otherwise he'll have a hard life. I can safely say that he doesn't do things backwards anymore but he does many times choose the hard way.



We tend to fight a lot. He and I lock horns because we are much a like. He is me. It's tiring arguing and fighting with 'yourself' for 17 years. I'm tired. Over this summer as he prepared to start his Senior year and apply to college and move into another phase of his life we have continued to lock horns. At one point I was frustrated and sat down with him and asked if he wanted me to back off. I mean really, I was tired of pushing and ya know it's his life. Well, being the smarty that he is he said yes, just back off, I'll do it in my time. Fine. fine. FINE. We each went our merry way and I was having a more pleasant summer- less stressful. Then like a week later he tells me "Hey mom, remember when we agreed that you should back off?" Yes, I tell him, the voice inside my head thinking he's going to tell me he did the essays, filled out the applications and they are about ready to mail in, getting all excited and jumping up and down in my head. "well, I think you need to push again." Thud! goes the little me that was jumping in my head. Why, I ask. "Well, I think I need the reminding, I will probably do it in my own time anyway but I need you to push and remind me. You're good at that." Well, at least we know I'm good for something. I'm good at *itching and moaning and nagging and being ignored. Fabulous! Can't wait to add it to my resume! Gimme Patience!

Seen any good movies lately?

I haven't seen much lately. We watch lots of movies and are members of Netflix which I LOVE! I just Love those little red envelopes. I and everyone else in the family has been trained to get excited when they see one of those red envelopes in the mail. What'd we get? Now, mind you I am the one who "runs" the queue in Netflix and even I get excited and rip open the envelope to see what's there with the same anticipation one gets checking their lotto ticket and the first 3 numbers match. Then I go through the same bubble burst when the next number doesn't match and the movie is really one that the kids want to see not me. Talk about Pavlovian response!
That's been happening lately since it was you know, summer and the kids had days off to watch movies. The most recent movie we got (no lie) was Scarface. Yes, Tony Montana's Scarface. Is there another one? Please. Wait. Don't go. Let me explain. A while back when the family was talking about Al Pacino because he was getting some lifetime award we discovered that 17 hasn't seen Scarface. Now, how 15 saw it and 17 hasn't well, I just don't know. He's seen clips. I mean the entire free world has seen clips but he'd never seen the entire movie. So, we thought this needed to be remedied. I mean there are so many references to it in pop culture. It's one of those classics that everybody knows. The boy needs a well rounded education. Don't you think? So, we moved it to the top and the boys saw Scarface.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Docs dont' know nuthin!

All that schoolin' and they don't know squat (can you tell I'm a little frustrated). It's just a best guess like it's all a game. ARGghhhh.

I say I'm perimenopausal or maybe I'm having thyroid issues or maybe sugar level issues or maybe a combination of things like anemia and something else. Well, I didn't say I knew what it was but it's something and the doc doesn't know either.

I've got all the typical perimenopausal symptoms. I mean all of them but those are also very similar to many other things. So, anyway I go to the doctor for the results on my blood work where I am hoping he tells my its yadda yadda (read: something totally common and simple and normal) and avoid eating yadda yadda (read: something that will help me loose weight) and take this pill every morning and you'll be fine. But Noooooo. MY doctor isn't that accommodating. He wishes all his patients had my numbers. Well, la di frickin da! That didn't help me. Nothing to explain the sundry of symptoms that I have. Nothing even borderline. So, now more tests to mega check my thyroid and other stuff. ARGghhhhh!

My dream visit to the doctor would be รก la Star Trek. Remember Bones, the doctor. He had a wand that I remember as looking like the metal detectors wands they use at the airports now. Anyway, the patient would be laying in the sick bay and he'd wave the wand over his body from head to toe and badabing! he would know what was wrong with him. Wouldn't that be wonderful! Ahh, but alas we get to be poked and prodded and sometimes all for naught because they don't know and want to keep poking and prodding. Oh, well. I guess that what we got.

Bones, Where are you when I need you!? Ahhhh, gimme patience.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Lost $$

You know that feeling you have when you reach into your wallet and your short on cash. Well that would be constantly but I mean short as in you thought you had a $20 and in fact you have a $10 not just that you wish you had more $.


Well, that happened to me this weekend. Now I'm not a math wiz but here's what happened. I had theater and dinner plans for Sunday that were all going to be paid for cash and so being the planner that I can sometimes be I went to the bank on Friday and took out $100 bucks for my weekend extravaganza of entertainment. Mind you I already had $34 in my wallet so I can do this math (100+34) now I've got $134. Woo hoo, for a girl who doesn't carry much cash that's a million bucks. I had to pay back someone for the theater ticket ($25) and have cash for dinner. The dinner was a super ritzy place that we were going to because they are part of a program offering limited menu at a fixed price with the intention of getting people (like moi) who can't normally afford the place to come out and try and then maybe we'll repeat (when we hit the lotto). So, dinner was to be $35 plus drinks and wine. Are you still with me? 25+35+drinks+wine= $100 and I have $134. I have extra, no problem. I was perfectly prepared to splurge and spend this on little ole me all in one day and have a fantabulous time.


Friday night, 17 needs $ for the movies and whatever. Fine. I have extra, remember, I give him $20. Saturday goes by running around doing groceries, getting school uniforms, taking kids to get haircuts for the first day of school and even driving thru for lunch. All paid for with plastic. yes, even the drive-thru. Thank you very much. I'm still good. Got all my money saved for me on Sunday(read in sing songy voice)...looking forward to it....working on my scrapbooks...thinking about tomorrow...gonna have a great time....(stop sing songy stuff).


Sunday is here. Make the usual waffles for the gang. Work on a scrapbook page that I was too tired to finish last night. Go take a shower and hubby drops me off at girlfriends house to go to theater. Once we are all ready to go, she's writing a check for the theater ticket, I tell her I've got cash. So, I open my wallet to separate it. Counting out the cash I have $70. Woah!What happened I had extra money! Now, I'm short! Where is it. I start looking thru all the nooks and crannies in my purse and wallet. I find coupons, receipts and business cards - no cash. I don't understand. I've counted the cash 3 times and its still only $70, apparently it doesn't increase by she upon recounting it. What to do?! OK, I have a check on me. I can write a check for the theater ticket. That leaves me with the $70 for dinner, if I don't have a cocktail I should be fine for dinner and wine. But where's the $30. I gave 17 $20 not more than that. I didn't pay for any of the errands on Sat. Friends hubby is trying to help me with the math he knows I'm not the best but even when he does it doesn't add up. I will have to deal with it later. Did one of the boys take $ without telling me? It would be a first. Maybe the $ I gave 17 was more than one bill stuck together, I'll ask him later. Friend now takes some extra cash because she's wonderful that way, to be sure that we are not short in our adventures of the day.


The theater was a hoot. It was a musical and a friend of our was in it. It was called "Tomfoolery" if you've never seen it and its playing near you run to buy a ticket. I need to see it again because I laughed so much that I know I couldn't hear it all. Too too funny! I forgot to give my other girlfriend the check to pay her back for the ticket. Oh, well. We have plenty of time before our dinner reservation so we go hang out at the local independent book store which we both LOVE. We sit and split an appetizer because we are both starving and neither of us had lunch before the theater. So, this will hold us till dinner 3 hours from now. Dinner was great. Good friends at a beautiful restaurant with good service and good food. The dessert was PHFft but the rest was good. A lovely time was had by all. My good friend had to fork out a little more $ to cover the valet- I told you it was a ritzy place- but what are friends for.

Got home told hubby about my outings. He had a grand time at home doing nothing. I mean NOTHING! He watched the golf tournament all day - that's it. Fine. Good for him. We each had our good time in our own way. Went to bed.

Woke up! Sat straight up in bed and yelled "Oh, thank goodness!" Hubby snored a little louder and shifted in bed as I looked over him at the clock. It was 2:35. I took a deep breath and thought well, at least I found the missing $. In my outings on Saturday although I didn't pay cash for any of the boys things. I did stop in a Scrapbook store and bought some very necessary pages and embellishments that I honestly really really needed. That I paid cash for because remember I had extra but I guess I forgot I had given my extra to my son and so now I was short. So, let's review the math shall we: extra$ minus $for son minus $for scrap supplies equals short for theater and dinner. Oh well it was pretty paper.

Friday, August 10, 2007

9 WORDS WOMEN USE

There is nothing going on that you (or me) are interest in. Things are just plain boring right now. So, I am stealing this from an email I got from a friend for your entertainment.

9 WORDS WOMEN USE

1. Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
2. Five Minutes : If she is getting dressed, this means half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
3. Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
4. Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!
5. Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of nothing.)
6. That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
7. Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. 8. Whatever: Is a women's way of saying F@! YOU!
9. Don't worry about it, I got it : Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to #3.

I thought this was clever and funny. Enjoy your weekend. Mine will be stressed full of getting my boys ready for back to school. Sunday will be nice a play with friends and dinner with others. I'll tell you ALL about it later. Plus tonight I will finish my book...hmmm what shall I read next...

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

I finished The Darcy Spirit

It was lovely. Nicely written in the vein of Austen referring to characters we know and love and continuing the story with the next generation. I think I can summarize the plot by saying it is a complete adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The names have changes but then are related to the original characters. The places have changed but not so much, we're in Rosings, Bath and London. The same personality faults are inherited, displayed and overcome and everyone of course lives happily ever after. If you need some of that and loved Pride and Prejudice then this is for you.

I just started The Thirteenth Tale. I'm on page 37 and am hooked. Some of the lines make me stop and read them twice. Here's one that I liked: "I shivered on the stairs, yawned and stretched. Returning to myself, I found that my thoughts had been rearranged in my absence."
Don't you LOVE that! ...my thoughts had been rearranged in my absence...

There are other lines but I can't find them now but suffice it to say that I'm enjoying it.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Reviews

This weekend we watched "Flightplan" with Jodie Foster. She's just plain brilliant but I can't think of a role she wasn't good in. I mean how much of a story can you have if the whole movie is on a plane. Fine. yes, there are few scenes in the apartment before we board the plan and at the airport after landing but for real the whole movie is on a plane. How much can happen? How fascinating can it be? She didn't have much to work with-story, characters etc.- but she is the only reason to watch this movie. Hubby predicted it in the first 10 minutes and I said no way, that's too easy. I kept coming up with something else more complicated and convoluted. These writers were simple. Hubby nailed it. If you can see it for free go ahead but don't spend a lot of money on it or make any special plans.

We also watched the first episode of the TNT miniseries "The Company" with oh, i forgot their names already. Anyway, it was really good. If you like spy stuff, intrigue, espionage and twisty plots be sure to catch a replay of the first episode so you can catch up. It was also nice that the first hour was commercial-free. Granted the second hour made up for it but hey, the first one was uninterrupted.

Now, by uninterrupted I mean they did not stop the action to sell something. They did however sell things right on top of what we were viewing. Am I the only person this bothers? Have I mentioned this before? I just hate it when messages pop up on the bottom of the screen telling me what show is Coming Next or Tomorrow or even what channel I am watching. I hate it when characters from other shows come traipsing across the bottom of the screen unveiling the name and viewing time for their show. FOR PETE'S SAKE LET. ME. SEE. THIS SHOW IN. PEACE! I KNOW what channel I am watching I put it on. Tell me what's on next when this is over. If figure out tomorrow tomorrow! It really bothers me. The director of the show I am watching surely didn't imagine Saving Grace popping up across the bottom or The Closer coming on screen with a flashlight in her hand. At one point it even covered over some subtitles because they were talking in German. UGH! Of course then I suppose about every time a normal commercial spot was supposed to come in a message would pop up telling us that Thanks to Chrysler this was commercial-free. Gee Thanks, get off the screen and lemme watch the show!
It doesn't bother hubby and 17 who were watching it with me except for all my grumbling about it. Apparently, THAT gets on their nerves not pop-up advertising on TV.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Yes, another meme

Just when you thought you were memed out! I warned you, I told you I was behind. This one is from Cup O'Books. I am to list 5 Random Things although it was spun to be about books and procrastination. Let's see...

1. Even though I am only listing one book in progress at a time over there on the sidebar there are usually at least 3 going at the same time. Sometimes a book is too big for my purse and I need to have one with me like ALL the time cuz you never know when you'll have 5 minutes to read and so the bigger book would be the nightstand book. I also usually have one at work that lives there and I read on lunch hour etc.

2. I'm not a finisher. I tend to start lots of projects and finish few. Once I put something down and move on to something else laziness takes over and stands between me a project one (or 32, whatever) and it takes a lot to push me back to it.

3. I am a hopeless romantic. Its my favorite genre in reading. I want everyone to be happy, get along, be in love and live happily ever after. I really really do!

4. In my lifetime I have lost hundreds of pounds. Ive read all the diets, know how to do them just don't have the motivation to stick with them and keep finding all those lost pounds and apparently some that others lost along the way too. ;)

5. I have decided to take the necessary steps to graduate from community college with my AA. I enrolled there in 1983 and still haven't graduated. I have fulfilled all of the class requirements and simply need to take a test. Next Friday I am signing up for the test. If I pass, I'm done. The object here is to graduate before 17 graduates from high school in the spring. Do you see the not finishing trend here. Anyway, I had decided, I told others and now it's out in writing n the net. I'm thinking I really need to do this now.

I won't tag anyone in particular but again if you want to share some of your randomness, please do so and TGIF!


Thursday, August 02, 2007

Birthday MEME

I was also tagged for this meme by the mind wobbles. (how do I so easily loose control of my fonts??? i dunno)

We are supposed to look up our date of birth on Wikipedia and find 3 events, 2 births and 1 holiday that happened on that date.

My birthday is June 14th.


Events:
1777 - Stars and Stripes adopted by Congress as the Flag of the United States.
1900 - Hawaii becomes a United States territory.
1954 - U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a bill into law that places the words "under God" to the United States' Pledge of Allegiance.

Births:
1946 - Donald Trump, American businessman
1961 - Boy George, British singer (Culture Club)
1909 - Burl Ives, American musician (d. 1995)
1811 - Harriet Beecher Stowe, American author (d. 1896)

Yes, I can count. I realize that's 4 and I'm only supposed to list 3 but I just thought they were interesting names and I never would have pegged these four people to all be Gemini like me, would you?

Holiday:
Since I already knew and if I know then everyone should know that it's Flag Day. I looked for something else.
International Weblogger's Day – Celebration of the work of webloggers around the world

Now, there are other instructions cut, paste a list, delete, add a name yadda yadda but I'm going to be rebellious and not do them. So there! But the meme was fun. Most of you have probably already done it and if you did I probably read it. But if you didn't and ya wanna g'ahead and consider yourself tagged.


Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Memetime - The Joy that is...

There are lots of Memes (can I make that plural? it sounds weird) that I haven't done and need to get to. I've been tagged for a few that I haven't done. I've commented on blogs that I'll do it soon to just stay tuned and because (insert witty reason here) well, simply I haven't done them. So, I am committing to doing all the memes that I said I would do but not all today mind you. But I will.

So I will start with one from Pheasantly Fascinating because his was on my birthday, over a month ago and it seems simple. (did you see how my font just changed? why? idunno!)

The Joy that is ....these aren't in any particular order other than popped into my head in this order...

10. Sticking you hand in your pocket and finding money. Doesn't matter how much, a twenty or just one dollar bill; it's fun!

9. Clear skies. Day/night it doesn't matter to me just seeing that clear blue sky or the cloudless dark night. Pretty, calming, I like it.

8. Hugs. I like hugs. I don't think I'm too picky about these either they can be from my kids, hubby, other family and friends. I'd have to go waaaay back to find a hug I didn't like. Mostly I guess because now I choose who I'm around.

7. Cooking. OK, this one needs a caveat. I hate the have to throw a meal together quick because we're all hungry and have things to do and just need to eat for sustenance sake. But I LOVE spending the day/week/whatever planning the menu, looking for recipes, shopping for the fresh ingredients, cooking it all up and watching everyone enjoy it.

6. Dunkin Donuts coffee. I just loves my dunkin coffee. I had lots of it on the car trip we just did. YUMMMmmm.

5. Mail. Not junk mail, not bills but mail meant for me. Cards, catalogs, letters. Yep. a catalog with a cup of dunkin coffee..life is good.

4. Laughing. If you know me, you know I laugh loud often to tears sometimes loosing y ability to swallow and breath properly. But it feels so good to laugh and laughing with someone even better.

3. Reading. I like reading magazines, books and now blogs too. Time just evaporates when I'm reading. I get so caught up in it and travel to where ever I am reading about. I honestly sometimes feel like I've lived a thousand years through books.

2. People. I am a people person. I like being with people even annoying people (for short period of time) because later I will laugh about it (see #4). Everyone is interesting, everyone teaches me something, even if it's what not to do or say. That's not to say I don't get tired of some people and then I'll simply let them go and find another. There are lots of people out there so I have no shortage.

1. Finishing things. I like finishing things, it's empowering to think "I did that". Now, this is a problem for Gemini because we tend to start lots of things and finish few. Maybe that's why I like it so much when I finish something...

I did it! I finished the meme....I won't specifically tag anyone but it's your turn if ya wanna...