Birthday Pressure

So next month my baby boy turns three.  Hard to believe it's been three years.  So of course we are planning his birthday party.  This is always a stressful chore.  What should be fun becomes my nightmare.  If it was left up to me I would have the whole thing planned and ready to go, on a date that I selected.  But I happen to have the mythical beast rarely seen.  In my house lives the husband who is "involved".  I originally planned for the party to be on the 24th which is the week before Jacob's birthday (I have to work the following Saturday).  But since we finally have chosen the location, a local farm with petting zoo and hayrides, he now has decided that the third week in October is be too dicey with the weather.  So now the date has been pushed up two weeks.  That gives me 12 days to get this party together.  I will have to get invitations, figure out the theme, bake a cake, two actually (allergies),  make sure there are sufficient things to entertain, put togeter goody bags, etc.  Did I mention that I work full time?  Hopefully people will be able to attend, since I've been prepping people for the later date.  What my darling hubby doesn't understand is that a lot of people plan ahead especially this time of year. 

If we had decided on the location earlier this might not be such an issue but he likes to have "input" this usually leads to procrastination and last minute decisions, because most places are deemed insuffiecient, this forces us to throw things together.  For example the last two birthdays, our wedding (which turned out beautifully).  I figured this year we were on top of things.  It's a almost a whole month in advance, until the date was jumped up 2 weeks. 

So, I think we are going to go with Disney's Cars theme even though we are going to be at farm.  Well keep your fingers crossed that people will attend and that the weather will hold.  All I really want is for Jacob to have a great time.  I think the location will be a lot of fun, Jacob loves animals and anything outside is always a winning situation.
Well I've got to go.  I need to figure out the cake situation.
Talk to you later.

Age is a state of mind,

Every so often I start to feel my age.  I'm not saying I'm old.  Though tonight with my wrist bugging me coupled with the new pain in my right shoulder that showed up today I'm feeling every bit of 37.  Most of the time there is no conscious thought to my age.  As a matter of fact I only gave up comics a little over three years ago and that was a purely financial decision not an age related one. 

I was having a conversation last night with one of my very best friends and realized that we have been friends for 22 years.  Thanks to Facebook, I'm in contact with people from even further back in my past.  The oldest friendship dates back to the late 70's.  It doesn't seem possible that its been that long even though the math is right.  It's true what the grown-ups told me as a child that time goes faster as you age.  I remember waiting for holidays to arrive, thinking that they were never going to arrive.  Now I can't believe how fast they arrive. 

Most of the time I don't even feel like a qualified grown-up.  So when is it that a person becomes old?  I've seen people younger than me with old decrepit personalities, and older people with way more youth and energy than you would imagine possible.  I do truly believe that age is a state of mind.  So why is it the body has to remind the mind about my age?  Well that's enough pondering tonight.  This somewhat old lady has knitting to do.
 
Talk to you later.

The alpaca farm fantasy

I recently started to knit.  So far I’ve finished two scarves and am about 2/3^rds of the way through the one that I started for the hubby.  Not too bad.  The afghan I started for my father-in-law is at a standstill, I’m rethinking the project.  I’ll most likely start fresh.  In the meantime I’m trying to teach myself new things, like how to read knitting patterns and how to knit a cable pattern.  Learning to crochet has been put on the back burner, but an attempt is made at least once a week. 

One of the reasons that I started knitting is that it relaxes me, a few people have mentioned that I seem much calmer when knitting.  I find that it gives me time to empty my brain of the everyday minutia that clogs it up.  So recently, I also started a new mystery series by Maggie Sefton, the central theme is knitting.  I often find a series that coincides with something that interests me.  The stories are entertaining and have inspired a new fantasy for me.  I’m fantasizing about winning the lottery again, this time to move the family to Colorado to raise Alpacas.  That way I could learn to spin and weave.  I love the idea of doing something creative.  Crazy huh?  Especially since I've never even been to Colorado.  It’s okay, crazy’s good as long as you don’t act on it.  Crazy is what can keep you sane at times.  Crazy is what gives you new ideas and sometimes solutions to the problems that are troubling you.  As long as I have my little internal dreams, the outside world is manageable.  I recommend to everyone to escape into a fantasy world for a little bit every day.    Well I'm off to the mountains to hang with the alpaca.

Talk to you later.

Sometimes you see a darker side to humanity. The retail perspective.

In the course of my job periodically, I have to deal with the public.  For those of you who work in retail you will understand when I say that you meet the best and worst of humanity.  The best customers will make you want to move heaven and earth to help them achieve their goals.  Then there are the other customers that you wish would disappear.  In the last 15 years of dealing with the general public I've had the following occur. 

I've been at Denny's at 3:00 am after a night at the clubs when a customer came up to me wanting to discuss her ceiling fan order.  I sobered up enough to tell her we could discuss this on Monday morning.

Had several cranky old men come up to me and ask to speak to a man.  This is when I worked at a lumber yard/hardware store.  This was my cue to go locate Buddy, not the sharpest crayon in the box.  They just said a man, they never specified intelligence.  I would then assist Buddy with whatever needed to be accomplished.

Upon arrival at work there would often be customers who would meet me at my car before I even had a chance to get out and start questioning me about their orders.  I'm a bit of a crank and need a little time to myself before I can start dealing with others.

I had one customer who informed me that he was the owner's wife's Dr. and he expected special treatment.  Truth was that at one time he did take care of her but that she hadn't seen him in several years because she couldn't stand him. 

Along the same lines are the ladies who would expect preferential treatment based on their marriages, ie. "Don't you know who my husband is?"  Usually those were Dr's wives.  Apparently entitlement were included in the marriage vows.  Small towns are so much fun.

One time I greeted a couple of people with a cheerful "Hi there!  What are you guys doing here?"  The response was a snide "Paying your salary."  Since they were using another salesperson I informed them that unfortunately that wasn't exactly true.  That was a family member who made that remark and I pretty much stopped speaking to them.

This weekend I had a couple of people who arrived 20 minutes to closing and informed me that I was "going to have to work."  After looking around for 30 minutes they decided to purchase a clearance fixture.  The wife had told me she was a designer and wanted a discount on the already marked way down fixture.  The husband went to pay, when the total was stated he balked and said it was supposed to be another price.  When informed the difference was the tax he grumbled that he didn't want to pay the tax.  Finally he paid then told us that he and his wife received $60,000 back on taxes this year.  I felt that it was in bad taste to say something like that.  Am I wrong?  

I think the part that upset me the most is that they knew we were closed and decided to just wander around even after they had purchased the product.  He especially found it funny that he was holding us up.  The thing is that I will give my all during the work hours.  But after work I have things to do and places to be and people who rely on me.  I don't understand why people feel the need to treat others without respect.  He didn't just keep me from leaving others were affected, the receptionist/cashier, the manager who had to close up the store, someone in the warehouse who might be needed to pack up the fixture.   

Now for the record there are some fantastic customers who everytime I see or think about them I smile.  Most of the clients I work with are really neat people.

Well I've talked way too much tonight, I'll stop babbling.
Talk to you later.

Toxic Kitty

Our much beleaguered cat Jimi, has been sick lately.  The poor cat has lost a lot of weight and had some “intestinal issues”.   Having lost our cat, Luther, a few months ago I wasn’t prepared to deal with Jimi illness and the monstrous vet bills that come with it.  Luther cost us around $1200 of which $500 could have been avoided, if I hadn’t let the well meaning vet run yet another panel of tests to try determine what was causing his illness.  But that’s another much sadder story that I’m not wishing to get into today.  Today’s story is about Jimi. 

I’ve been foolishly thinking that Jimi issues were from stress.  He’s got a preschooler who terrifies him and worries about cat food on the floor.  But after coming to the realization that Jimi is not getting better on his own, I took him to the vet on Wednesday.   Vet bills are crazy outrageous and this particular vet is excellent and the prices reflect it.  So I corralled Jimi into the kitty carrier and packed him into the Saturn.  I made sure to turn it facing me so that I could reassure him that would be alright.  The poor baby looked at me pitifully and proceeded to poop in the carrier, then having nowhere else to go, he sat in it.  Now we all know that poop stinks.  Well this particular cat’s droppings are beyond anything you might have smelled before.  We are actually able to identify which poop is his by just how bad and pervasive it is.  He can clear a room in 30 seconds.  Within moments the smelled invaded the car.  I call my husband to say my farewells, because I was sure, I was going to die.  I rolled down the windows hoping it would help, it did some but I failed to mention that it was raining.  So I had to decided death by poop or dealing with wet interior and grumpy hubby.  I chose death.  The next 10 minutes were some of the longest in my life.  Arriving at the vet, I cheerfully with a green face told them that we had brought our own stool sample and were hoping it would help temper the costs.  I warned them that it was toxic, I think they thought I was kidding.  The first assistant turned a little green herself when she caught a whiff.  They were very nice about it though, they cleaned up the carrier and the cause itself. 

Unfortunately for Jimi and my pocket book our “sample” was free from parasites and he had to have the dreaded blood work.  Is it bad I was hoping for parasites?  The somewhat good news is, he appears to have a bacterial infection that is affecting his liver.  So we are on a course of antibiotics and a new diet.  So keep your fingers crossed and let’s hope he gets better soon.

Talk to you later.

So it's been a interesting and nice weekend.  Here's the run down.  Saturday, Jacob got a haircut, looks great, still has his curls.  Got into a minor car accident, everyones ok, Jacob keeps mentioning that Daddy's truck got bonked in the head.  Spent the rest of the afternoon, dealing with insurance companies, good news not our fault so we shouldn't be out anything.  Whether or not that actually occurs we shall see.  Spent the rest of the day just hanging out inside the house due to a very rainy weekend.  Today, got up early and started straightening the house.  The first Cowboy game of the season, and hubby was having company.  Baked from scratch Chocolate Chip cookies, (my personal favorite).  The hubby tricked up a couple of frozen pizza's and I managed to forget to take the second one out of the oven on time, so it was a little crispy but salvageable.  Took the kid for a ride so I could get some rest, it worked! he fell asleep.  Then knitting and goofing off for a couple of hours.  After the nap was over it was quality time playing with his trains.  Now I'm hoping he'll fall asleep and I will finish the laundry that has piled up all weekend.  Well wish me luck.
Talk to you later.

Are you ready for some football? I am.

NFL football starts today and I'm so ready for it to be here.  I cheer for the Cowboys, I live in North Texas after all and am married to a rabid Cowboy fan.  I hate certain teams, redskins, eagles, and the steelers (see didn't even capitalize them, not worthy of a Cowboys fan's respect).  And living in Southeast Texas when I was very little, I have a soft spot for the Oilers from back in the 70's with Bum Phillips and Earl Campbell, Love Ya Blue.  And yes I know they don't exist anymore.  That's why the hubby thinks it's okay for me to have been a fan.

All that being said, I don't really care for football itself.  If I'm going to sit down to watch a game it is more likely to be baseball or basketball.  But football's arrival is always a welcome one.  For one, it gives my husband a chance to relax, something he rarely does.  But the big reason I like football...it truly is the start of Fall.  My favorite season.  That means in the next few months we'll have better weather, my anniversary, Jacob's birthday, the Texas State Fair and the big three holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.  Days will rush by, there is always a feeling in the air of excitement, of what's coming next.  People seem to be nicer to each other during the fall as well, I figure they start realizing that the Big Guy is watching (Santa) and they had better straighten up and fly right.

Football's here!  Let the festivities begin.  Oh, and don't forget GO COWBOYS!
Talk to you later.

Real men eat quiche

I have started making quiche’s (really Bisquick’s impossible pie) a while back.  I wanted to have something for breakfast that wasn’t Whataburger.  I’ve enjoyed them immensely.  It is such a pleasure to have something ready to go in the mornings.  Plus, it saves me around $25 a week by not going to Whataburger.  But try as I might I could never get hubby to try it.  He just couldn't find it appealing.  I know it’s a cliché, but I think the name is part of what was putting him off.  Well for some reason today was the day he took a couple of pieces to work, and actually tried it.  I'm happy to say I think he liked it.  Of course he could be humoring me, since I've been pestering the dooky out of him, he might be trying to shut me up.  Mission accomplished, now on to the boy.  Here's where the ideas that my mother used on me go to work on the boy.  It's no longer quiche, it's now ham and cheese pie.  So far it hasn't worked with the boy.  But I'm hopeful.  I figure once he's decided it's not yucky blah, then it will possible to hide extra veggies like bell peppers in it.  Wish me luck.

Talk to you later.

Mr. Marbles

There was a Seinfeld episode that mentioned a character named Mr. Marbles.  I don’t remember much except for the last scene.  Jerry is in bed and all of sudden he hears a noise and then the pitter patter of little feet.  You then seen the shadow of something small running across the room  “Mr. Marbles?” he said.

Well, we have our own version of Mr. Marbles.  Jacob has started coming into our bed in the middle of the night.  We’ll be lying in bed and hear the door down the hall open, then shut.  Then there is the pitter pat of bare feet on a hard floor.  Our door will open, then shut and he’ll come all the way around to my side of the bed and crawl in with his puppy.  Ten seconds later he’s out.  I don’t get the sense that he’s scared I think he just misses us.  Now, before anyone berates me for not taking him back to his own room I will admit I’m not a perfect parent.  I am a parent who wants as much sleep as possible and I choose to let him remain with us for the hour or two we have before I have to get up.  And I have to admit as a working mom who doesn't get to spend enough time with her son, I enjoy it a little.

Last night didn’t go as smoothly as normal.  Around 4:00 am I heard the door to his room open and shut.  I heard the feet.  And then I  heard him in the living room gathering up his motorcade of matchbox cars.  I also heard him drop them, about three times.  Hubby was kind enough to go to the living room to help.  “Jacob come to bed” he said.  Jacob’s reply was “I dropped it.”  “I know buddy, here I’ll help.”  Then they both came back to bed.  Jacob climbed into bed with his cars.  Daddy decided to stay up a while longer and started to leave the room.  In the dark the kid somehow realized that he was missing two cars that daddy had picked up.  “My cars!”  Daddy returned to bed and gave him the cars.  Ten seconds later the kid was out.  I’m actually impressed that he can think that coherently in the middle of the night.  

According to my mother I did the same thing when I was his age.  I apparently would make several trips back and forth bringing all my stuffed animals and baby blanket.  I guess I should be happy he only brings puppy and a few cars.

Eventually we'll have to put a stop to the trips but I'm going to enjoy it for a while.

Talk to you later.

The color of towels.

Every once in a while, the hubby and I will be having a conversation that goes something like this.
Me: "Hi honey, I'm just heading home from work."
Him: "Great! What do you want for dinner?"
Me: "Anything is good, oh wow I just saw some mallard ducks with their beautiful green heads!"
Silence.
Him: "What do you mean green heads!?  They have black heads!"
Me: "No dear their heads are green"
Him: "You're crazy!  They are clearly black.  You have no idea what you are talking about."

Yes.  My husband is color blind.  I first discovered this when one day he showed me his new "khaki" shorts.  I had to break the news to them they were pistachio green.  Another time we were discussing our siamese cats and the fact that they are tan and black came up.  He looked so confused by that and to this day he swears they are gray and black.  He even took one of them outside in the sunlight to check.  This scenario gets played out often in my house.  When it happens I am always wrong until I get either one of his friends or a complete stranger to agree with me. 

He (the color blind one) has decided that we need new towels and he's been picking them up a few at a time when he goes to the store.  I personally was hoping he'd pick up white towels but I'm not allowed to have an opinion on this and he thinks white is boring (for the record I have a degree in interior design but he thinks I have no taste.)  Well here's a picture of his latest aquisitions.

Orange.  And let me tell you it's not a normal orange.  It's neon, I'm pretty sure it glows in the dark.  I'm concerned about the amount of radiation it might give off.  It doesn't match the sandy color we have on the walls, (but then again what would I know, I'm not color blind.)  Since this is his project I haven't said anything to him about the selection.  I know that white towels are boring, but they don't cause seizures either.  Well I have to go.
Talk to you later.

Get a grip.

It’s funny how people react differently to stress.  I’m definitely not the best with stress myself.  I have my moments where you will actually think my head is spinning.  I work with some people that don’t let it get to them (or if it does they handle it with grace, I’m not one of them mind you).  Then there are the others…  The ones that fly off the handle at the slightest bump in the road.  That act as if you are personally responsible for all the ills of the world.  Apparently they drink the yellow milk in their corn flakes.  For the record, I do try to see things from other peoples point of view.  I understand that something that might not be a big deal for me, might just be the straw that puts the camel in traction, and vice versa.  I do know that we are all dealing with personal stress and work stress especially nowadays.  That doesn't excuse personal attacks when people are just trying to get their job done.  What I really want to say to these people and never will is GET A GRIP AND GROW UP!  We aren't all out to wreck your little world.