Happy Birthday My Friend

Well, I can't top this present, cause it is just freakin funny, but here is my contribution to my friend Contagion's birthday. Happy Birthday, may you have many gifts of scotch!

Memity Meme, Meme

I got tagged with this meme a while back and just never did it . . . Sorry Tink.

The rules are simple enough.

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your LiveJournal/blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to.

Screw You We're From Texas - Ray Wylie Hubbard
Sometimes I miss Ya - Trent Willmon
No Good Deed - From the Wicked Soundtrack
Bank Job - Bare Naked Ladies
San Toki - The Chinkees (a Korean children's song)
One Piece At A Time - Johnny Cash
When You Were Young - The Killers

There, pretty eclectic, I know.

Family Day!

Yep, today's the day to celebrate family. And Tammi wants to make sure we all remember to cherish our families. I put a roast in the crockpot before I left for work.

I thought I would tell about my days growing up, but that just wasn't terribly interesting, so instead:

Last night I was craving chinese food! We love chinese buffets so my family went to the local Dynasty Buffet. We'd never eaten there before, let me tell you upfront - the food was good. Really good. But . . . we almost didn't go inside because this is what greated us at the entrance!

We laughed through our entire meal. Sang "Nasty Buffet" to the tune of Janet Jackson's "Nasty Boys", Made our snow crab legs sword fight across the table, and I do believe I made my husband squirt cola out of his nose when I gave a shrimp a play-by-play of the hubby's digestive tract.

One more thing . . . laughing is good for digestion. So, don't just sit around a table and eat dinner with your family - enjoy it, enjoy them. Happy Family Day!

Oh My!

If you do nothing else today, watch this.

It is beautiful.

(h/t Ogre)

Family Day Should Be Everyday

Tammi wants us all to write a post for Family Day, mine is coming a few days early.

I have written before about how close I am with my dad and how I thought he was a rockstar when I was a girl. Well last weekend reminded me of why.

I took my Boy and nephew to the beach for an extended weekend and to take care of some other things. My mom and dad came along. We went to Ocean City, Maryland. I love it there.

My family had taken a family vacation to Assateague Island in Maryland every year until I was married. In fact, my Grandparents took my dad and aunt and uncle there when they were kids – every year.

It was the one thing in the summer that I looked forward to the most. To head to Assateague, smell the salt water, fall asleep to the sounds of the waves crashing onto the shoreline. We always camped either in tents or small trailers and we always had a good time.

My sister was a late sleeper, as was my mom. But my dad and I would get up before the sun and watch it rise over the water. We’d sit in the sand and share a cup of coffee or a donut and watch the sun come up.

This weekend, I stayed in bed long after the sun rose but my son is an early riser. He was up with his Papa, and before I could say otherwise, had stripped down and donned a bathing suit so that he could sit on the wall at the boardwalk having coffee with his Papa. Here are a couple wonderful photos that I took from the balcony of our hotel room. They are kinda fuzzy.

I can only imagine what the Boy is telling my dad. I’m sure it is fascinating as it was quite animated. As they sat there while the sun came up, I stood on the balcony looking down at them and remembering sitting on the beach with my dad.

He’s the same fun guy who would toss me into the water and then laugh a big belly laugh when a wave knocked him down. He’s the same guy who would take me to the boardwalk for Thrasher’s French fries and Dumser’s ice cream instead of dinner. He is the same guy who taught me to fish for crabs and who, at dinner that night would stick a claw on his nose, pretend to be in pain and then tell us “that’s what we get for ripping the legs off the little suckers!” He is the same guy who would go out of his way to make sure that each week-long vacation was the best one ever.

We only had a weekend, but he managed to make it special for the boys. He fought pirates for their treasure, took the boys to swim in the surf in their pajamas (mom wasn’t impressed), went clamming with the boys – in their underwear (again not impressed)

Ate popcorn and ice cream for dinner and had “slushies” for dessert. Played with hermit crabs, found sea shells on the beach and jumped up and down on hotel room beds. My dad is still the same fun guy he was when I was growing up. Cept now? He’s a grandpa and the fun he makes is really just his love and joy spilling over.

You can see it in this picture here. That’s my dad. His smile, in fact, his whole face is lit up with joy over seeing the fun the boys are having. That’s my boy in the green. If you look closely, his feet are not even touching the boat. He is jumping in the air because he was so excited that they won the treasure from the pirate. Though it was a short hour, it was an activity my boy and my nephew will remember for many years to come. Perhaps one day they will tell you about it in there own way. Sort of like my remembering those sunrise mornings with my dad. Just me and him, sitting on the beach, knowing that no one else in the world loved me like my dad did. My boy has a dad like that. My nephew does not. My dad gets to be that guy all over again, for my boy and my nephew. He’s a rockstar. There are few like him.

Just look at this face and tell me that his "Papa" doesn't light up his life!

Aye! Aye! Captain!

Tis Talk Like a Pirate Day! But I'd rather show ye a picture of two pirates from this weekend. Landlubbers beware, tis two mates after they'd stolen some treasure from a scallywag!

(My son and nephew after taking part in a pirate water battle aboard the "Duckaneer" at the beach!)

Beach bound Again

I leave for the beach for an extended weekend at 4 am tomorrow morning until monday. I will be taking care of some family issues at the beach where my aunt and uncle reside while I am there so it is important that I go.

But, I'm still here at work. . . at 9:41 p.m. I have to pick my son up two hours away from where I work in order to be ready for the beach. I am sooo screwed. I still have to stop home and finish packing.

I was told in no uncertain terms that I was to "either change my plans" or "stay until I was done with what I am doing" which isn't under any sort of deadline and I will be back Tuesday.

I wonder if Bou's truck is handy . . .

The Theme is Blue

Yep, that is the theme! It is Harvey's birthday, he is 40 years young today.

So, Happy Birthday blog-daddy-o! I hope it is a wonderful day for you.

In honor of the blue theme - I recommend "Mother Hubbard's Blues" by Ray Wylie Hubbard.

I also give you the following:

Blue Skies, blue water, blue bikini . . . Jessica Alba in said bikini . . . Happy Birthday my friend!

It's A Dreary Day In The Neighborhood

Overcast, rainy, chilly, Tuesday.

I missed the free breakfast, was 1000 miles over for my oil change and had to deal with unpleasantries this a.m.

How is your day? Mine suxs.

Forgive Me Please

I had a post for September 11 but I scrapped it. I was going to pick a name but I couldn't. Nothing I could say would give justice to so many brave souls.

I was going to tell you how I felt, how I feel. I can't. I'm actually still numb. Still numb from knowing that there are people out there intent on killing us. On killing me. What is the crime? Being an American.

I was going to tell you that I can remember sitting in my 50th Floor office looking at the sky and wondering if we were next, but the fear and anger I felt at that moment cannot be put into words.

I was going to tell you how my husband and I wanted to be in New York to help or wanted to join the military or do anything. It was then that we resolved to become volunteer firefighters. The memory of our brothers is seared into our minds whenever a call comes over the radio.

I was going to tell you how when I got home that evening I crumpled to the ground sobbing. But my words again can't do justice to my feelings at that moment.

I was going to tell you about my best friends' son. He turned 11 on September 10th. On September 12th he told his mom that he would never enjoy another birthday as long as he lived because the day after his birthday so many people died for nothing and he watched it happen. Do you know how heartbreaking those words are to hear?

I was going to tell you about the rush of hatred I feel when I think of fundamentalist muslims, and that I have to calm myself because I am not that person. But I can't put into words the rise in my blood pressure and the flush to my face.

I was going to tell you how I scan the faces of the other passengers on a plane or train. Or how I look at other drivers on the road. My paranoia rises with each passing day.

I was going to tell you how worried I was to bring my child into this world. How I wonder whether he will be taken from me in an instant because of the malicious lies young children in muslim countries are told about young children here. I wonder if I can protect him from that hatred when it is so hard to protect him from the trials in this country alone.

I was going to tell you that this day is sacred to me. That not far from my home Flight 93 crashed into a corn field and that it serves as a reminder that even here, in the hills of the Ohio valley, I am not safe.

I was going to tell you so much more. But the words simply escape me. So please, forgive me for not giving you a post to match those out there in the sphere today. Forgive me for remembering in my own way. Forgive me for not doing more.

Craptastic

That's my day, how's yours?

I'm stuck here at work on a Beautiful Sunday when I should be home snuggling with my boy!

Happy Birthday!

Hey all! Today is Bou's birthday (so I hear, thanks Harv!)

So, to help her celebrate: Some of my friends!

Happy birthday, and be gentle with these guys!

Go Steelers!

Yay! I'm sleepy. . .

Weekend Files

Well, we had an interesting weekend round these parts. Where to start?

Oh, consoling a three year old child at the loss of his very best friend? Our 10 month old puppy didn't come back from playing in the woods with our older dog. We trolled the area for sign of her. She didn't lie in a ditch on any of the roads and she wasn't stuck in any culverts or hiding out in her familiar haunts.

The suspicion is that the local band of coyotes - the leader of which is an obvious cross-breed as he is positively massive - have eaten her. Ack!

The boy is distraught. He has been walking around saying "I love her though!" and "doesn't she love me anymore?" and "maybe some little boy took her home" or the kicker, "mommy, Hazel was my best friend, I miss her!"

Yep. Many tears were shed.

To help, we took the boy fishing yesterday. Damned if he didn't catch the biggest fish in the tiny pond too! he caught a 1 1/2 pound 12 inch bass - on a Spiderman fishing pool and a worm! Boy has mad-fishing skillz!

Here he is fishing with his daddy. I don't post about my DH much, but he is a blessing. He's a hands-on daddy. As you can see from these slightly distorted camera-phone pictures. He does everything with his boy.

Here is that wonderful fish the Boy caught - it is as long as his torso!

And these next two are the playground after fishing. Though the DH is six - two, he still plays on the monkey bars with my Boy!

After fishing, climbing and sliding, we went for ice cream. Nothing like topping off a day with ice cream!

Now if our pup would just come home! I think we are going to put up flyers today, but we do think she has been eaten.

I've loaded the rifle for wiley coyote. He isn't making it out of my yard alive next time, whether he took poor Hazel or not. They are simply a meanace!

On a brighter note, we have an eight-point camping out in the brush near our house, Venison this winter! Yippee!

How was your Labor Day?

Meme'd - ACK!

Ok, I've been busy, hearings, stomach issues, life . . . and I've been remiss in posting and got spanked for that this a.m. by a meme! So, here goes (like I have time to read . . .)

1) A book that changed my life:

That changed my life? HMMMM. OOOO I have one! "Are You There God Its Me Margaret" I loved that book as a child. It changed my life in that I learned that I could not increase my bust size with exercise *wink, wink*

2) A book I've read more than once:

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Anything by Jane Austen, Anything by Shakespeare (though not technically books . . .)

3) A book I'd take to a desert island:

Survival for Dummies? Ok, I'd have to have my Douglas Adams and probably something on cooking seafood.

4) A book that made me laugh:

"Why Do I Love These People" by Po Bronson.

5) A book that made me cry:

"Why Do I Love These People" by Po Bronson. It is such a wonderful book. It is a storytelling book, telling stories of families from different situations and backgrounds. I love it.

6) A book I wish had been written:

The Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Raising A Child But Didn't Think To Ask, For Example That You Have To Get On A Waiting List For Pre-School Book.

7) A book that should never have been written:

I can't think of one. Maybe the DaVinci Code, cause it just annoys me.

8) A book I'm currently reading:

At the moment? That would be Brown Bear, Brown Bear with my son.

9) A book I'm planning to read:

Anything but Brown Bear, Brown Bear will do!

Kay, seems everyone has done this meme and I have no one left to pass it to.