When can we go for a walk?

Monthly grooming bill:  $55.00

Monthly food/squeaky toy bill:  $25.00

Total vet bill for Missy's eye surgery this week:  $1,991.97

Having your bestest most loyal buddies healthy and happy:  Priceless :)

Shhhhhhhhhh...she's sleeping

Finally our little Missy is home! YEA! All is not well yet b/c she has a ton of healing to do; however, best to heal at home, we think. H & I worked 1/2 day today so we could hop in the car to trek to Purdue for our reunion with Missy. H said we had to take our other poodle, Mr. P, so he could help us bring Missy home. He was thrilled to take a road trip. I know, we are wierd. So, we all drove several hours to Purdue Univ. to pick up our girl...How wonderful to see her again! She has quite a few nasty stitches and kind of looks like she has gone a few rounds and lost...but all in all, she is her happy bossy self so we know she will be just fine.

It is a good thing I don't have kids...I don't think I could handle when they might hurt. It totally makes me cry! I held Missy most of the evening and now she is all cuddled in her poodle-bed and hopefully having sweet dreams about milk bones and table scraps. Sorry to be so sappy...I just really love this dog and I am so glad to have her home! If she will let me, I will post a pic tomorrow. Welcome home girlie girl!

Get Well Soon!

One of my poodles...and my blog model...Missy, has had a rough time this week. Missy is 2 years old and she has had big probs with her eyes for about a year and a half. Her tears just stopped working suddenly so she has had chronic dry eye...which means that H and I have had to pump about a million eye drops into her eyes every day. After many many consultations with vets and doggie eye doctors, we were faced with either letting her slowly and painfully go blind or opt for a surgery that routes a saliva (spit from the mouth!) gland to each eye in order to keep the eyes moist...so she could keep her sight. If you have ever owned and loved a dog you can understand our position. To make it worse, our Missy is probably one of the best dogs you may ever find. Our vet told us that most people put a dog to sleep for this...she also said that if we even considered putting Missy to sleep she would take her for herself...and how dare we even consider putting that dog to sleep b/c she is so wonderful. Ok, rough decision. So, we saved our pennies and took Missy for her surgery on Monday. The closest place to take her for the procedure was Purdue University Vet Hospital...about 2-1/2 hours away. The surgery went fine (whew); however, there have been a few complications and our poor Missy has been *in the hospital* all week! We miss The Miss! She has now had 2 surgical procedures and the doctor is not sure when we will be able to bring her home. H & I are so worried. H & I are also going broke. But what can we do...we just love this dog.
The vet is going to phone us tomorrow morning to *see where we are*. I think we are ready to take a second mortgage out on the nearly-finished house and get our poodle back to us healthy once again! I hate this.

Learning The A-B-C's from Big Sister!

When I was shopping the other day I was in the dressing room doing my least favorite thing...trying on bathing suits. Yuck. It is like a magnifying glass on your body...ok, HERE are the big thighs and HERE we have the teensiest bustline ever. Oh ya, and let's just point out how WHITE she is. It is probably one of the worst things for one's self confidence...especially since turning 40. Anyway, as I was squishing myself into my bathing suit choices, I could hear a group of people in the dressing room down the way...it was a young-ish crowd. From what I could tell, it was a young girl and her older sister and the older sister's friend. Big Sis andFriend were helping Little Sis try on her first bra. It was the cutest thing ever! I was hating that I was being so nosey; however, Big Sis and Friend were so sweet to Little Sis...I seriously almost got teary! The three of them had obviously picked out several bra styles and they all packed into the dressing room to help Young Sis. I could hear Big Sis saying, "OK, first you put it around you and hook it...then you spin it around and put the straps up. Wait, make sure it isn't too tight or it will pinch." And then Friend said, "But you also don't want it too big or your friends will think you are cheating and making your boobs seem bigger." Little Sis was saying, "Ewww, this feels wierd...no, THIS one feels much better!"
I think what struck me was that they were very businesslike and not all giggling and making fun of Little Sis. They were actually helping her and giving good tips while teaching her how to properly fit a bra so she is comfortable and looks good! As I listened to the whole thing, I was so impressed by Big Sis & Friend! What a super sister! Little sis is one lucky girl. She will no doubt strut her stuff with confidence because of her sister. That is just so cool!

Saturday Parts I & II

Part 1: This morning I had to conduct a training for some more new volunteers for the theraputic riding program. Remember, I am the Volunteer Coordinator! This is a very important job that involves nearly every Saturday thru the entire summer. What on earth was I thinking? I hate people, I love my Saturdays, and I detest being the *camp counselor* for each and every event this program has. The training was held at the barn so we could practice with the horses, see the grounds, step in manure, etc. As if on cue, it was snowing today and the high was something like 35. Freezing. Luckily, we have Starbucks as a sponsor so there was hot chocolate and coffee to drink and/or dump over our heads to keep warm. I arrived at the barn bright and early with fresh muffins, breakfast rolls, and a wicked hangover in tow. Dressed and ready for leadership. The good thing is that this group was super...the people were normal! YEA! My hope for my tenure as *Camp Counselor* is to have people who understand how important it is that they show up, do their job, and are safe around the horses...instead of some of the lamoids we have had in past years. The funniest thing today was that we were demonstrating how to hold the student on the horse and the poor horse had not been outside for 2 days b/c of the weather so he was very hyper and kept kind of hopping around and tossing his head like he was saying, "What the f***, just get me the hell outside so I can RUN!" Here we were stressing how wonderful our therapy horses are and this guy was acting like a freak...bet the new volunteers were terribly impressed.

Part2: After the training, I had to don my construction crew/interior designer cap and go to that nasty stone store with H to pick out fireplace stone. As mentioned previously, there are like 10,000 types of stone to choose-from. (I would link that to the previous post but I don't know how yet!) With much discussion and perusing of catalogs, we have narrowed our choice to the Eucalyptus Country Ledgestone. I know, sounds like something you'd hear on a tour of the Taj Mahal, right? It is actually a bit Little House on the Prarie-ish with a bit of Frank Lloyd Wright accent. Old-looking but not overdone...as in, I won't be wallpapering borders of ducks and cows or going to Longaberger (sp?) Basket parties to compliment the look. If Eucalyptus Country Ledgestone is too expensive, I have decided I am going to gather stones from the local Indiana cornfields like Ma Ingalls and end this project. I would approach the Motel 6 about possibly purchasing a portion of the faux brick facade; however, I am not sure it would provide the *look* I desire. Only the Motel 6 can do the whole 80's stonework thing and pull it off.

That is my weekend thusfar. Our little poodle Missy is having eye surgery at Purdue on Monday. I am taking the day off to take her down...how scary is that going to be? She is such the little peach...I hope all goes well and she is back to her chewing/barking/obnoxious/hyper self in no time. Luv that dog! One more thing...H & I stopped at the hardware store and purchased a new fire extinguisher. Be sure you always have one...and I recommend a larger size than the one that squirts only a half cup of extinguishing stuff!!!

I have been demoted.

Well folks, I think my quest for Olympic fame took a leap backwards at my riding lesson on Friday. I am pretty bummed-out about it. As you may (!!) know, I am trying, as an adult, to learn to ride horses...Dressage specifically. As you may also know, I am a big wimp. Further, my body usually does not respond properly when I try to move my various limbs into the proper position for Dressage. My riding lesson last Friday started out brilliantly...I was working away on my trusty schoolhorse and El Instructor was, well, he was instructing. I am now able to get the horse in proper position and moving along nicely. That is, until we canter. The moment I tell the horse to canter, all hell breaks loose and I end up looking very similar to a person on a horse, in a very expensive saddle, in the fetal position. Horses, I have found, do not like this. When their rider is all bunched up in fear, they wonder "Hey, what the hell is going on? Where is the lion/tiger/bear/shadow/whatever that is going to kill us. We should RUN AWAY!" Lucky for me, we are schooling in an arena so when we "RUN", we simply take off around the arena at a very fast pace until we decide. after several go-rounds, nothing is going to kill us and we can gear down to a slower pace. To Instructor's credit, he has tried everything to get me to relax and enjoy the ride. He has been very patient in doing so; however, I think he was getting upset with me last week as I flew at top speed around the arena. I was in a sweat and without several vertebrae in place after the lesson when he said, "How about next week you try riding Immy?" Immy? No way! Immy is not an olympic horse...Immy is a horse who barely has a pulse! I hate riding Immy. Immy is for beginners! Ok, so I was kind of whining to myself. Instructor thinks since Immy has barely a pulse, he will be much less likely to take off out of the starting gate, so to speak, when we go to canter. I am mad at myself for getting to this point. Actually, I am mad at my body. Stupid body. However, this riding stuff is a process so perhaps this will make me try harder! I can't be seen in the Olympic arena with Immy...people might think I can't ride! If things don't improve soon, I'll have to change my blog name to WalkTrotCan'tCanterBecauseIAmACompleteWimpWhoHasABodyThatDoesn'tListenToMe.

Missy posing as a dalmation fire dog

Missy wanted to show everyone the *fire* damage.  I know, bad pic but I was in a rush!  PS:  Missy has her eye surgery on Tuesday!

4-Alarms at the Motel 6!!!

As per usual today, I went home for lunch to let poodles outside, eat, read the paper, etc. One reason I took my job, aside from not having to dress up, is the going-home-for-lunch part. It is like mini-detox during a hard day's work. Usually. I read the paper ate a sandwich, let the dogs out, blah blah...WELL, as I was leaving to return to work, I realized I had left my sunglasses on the coffee table. When I reached to get the glasses, I noticed what seemed to be flames, yes FLAMES coming from underneath the fence that surrounds the mini-Motel 6 patio. Now mind you, the fence much like the fridge, is probably an original...maybe 30 years old? Up like a matchbox, it went! By the time I grabbed the fire extinguisher, the whole gate was aflame and the fire was heading straight towards our sliding glass door. Yeppers, right on track to the gas can and charcoal lighter fluid we keep outside. The fire extinguisher is one H got for a Christmas gift about 100 years ago and we have hauled from apartment to house to apartment. It even had dust on it. I was thinking it might end up on Antiques Roadshow if we kept it much longer. Luckily, the thing still worked and spewed it's 1/2 cup of extinguisher-stuff and slowed the fire for a second so I could dial 911. Meanwhile, the neighbor guy (not Brad Pitt, a different neighbor-guy) came out and was trying to fill with water a tupperware container I grabbed to douse the flames. As helpful-neighbor-guy and I battled the flames with our mini-extinguisher and water filled tupperware, the fire dept came roaring thru the main drag of the Motel 6. The poodles were stunned with all of the excitement and sat obediently by the sliding door kind of as if they were right there to help ward off the wall of flames headed our way. What pandamonium! (I don't even think I spelled that right but surely you get the drift.) As the flames subsided and we stood around the charred remains of our patio fence, I had to do a little Q & A session with the firefighter guy about whether I was smoking or if I had been using the grill. Nope, just home to read the paper and let the poodles out for a pee, sir. I wanted to add, as the Motel 6 manager-lady (who thank god wasn't Shiela -see previous post) walked up to inspect the damage, I am just trying to survive this nightmare of living here until my house is done and I can get my very own horse, go to the Olympics, and return to normal society. Until then, back to work! Good gravy, what a lunch hour.

5 questions dandy for blogfriend Mandy!

Here you are, Mandy...ponder away!

1) When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
2) Now that you are grown up, what would you want to do most if you were still a kid?
3) Explain your most "I absolutely cannot believe I am doing this" moment.
4) What is the best thing you have ever read?
5) Does your husband read your blog? Why or why not? (that is 6 questions; however maybe it could be counted as #5a)

Whew, that is kind of difficult...hats off to kiddo for thinking of q's for his hundreds of blog friends in addition to keeping up his frantic social life :)

I feel like I am on Opera!

I just love these *thinking* exercises...and it is fun to read everyone else's answers, too. Here we go...!!!

1. Who is your most favorite friend?
The bottle of VO on the counter. JUST KIDDING! I know I am supposed to scream out H's name when asked this question and he is my friend; however, the ups and downs of our relationship, at times, have made communications kind of difficult. Sometimes he just doesn't get me...lol...go figure. My favorite friend, probably b/c we don't live together, is someone I met several years ago. We just clicked immediately, completely crack each other up, and can go for months w/out talking and pick up right where we left off, no hard feelings. Because we both moved and got busy with life stuff, we have not talked in quite a while, actually, and I miss him. He was great fun. Even H liked him!

2. What is your cocktail of choice?
It really depends on the weather. (Or where we are living. The Motel 6 seems to call for hard liquor) In the summer I am a beer girl b/c it is easily packable (no ice/mixing involved), in winter I enjoy VO and Diet Coke (I know, gross!) or wine. If I were a rich woman, I would def. go for martinis...lol...they are colorful, come in cool glasses, and there is a wide variety of flavors to appeal to the entire crowd.

3. When was the last time you were publicly shamed/embarassed?
Probably when I lost control of my ipod when I was on the treadmill the other day and it nearly hit the person behind me who was on the eliptical trainer. That or when, a couple of weeks ago my towel fell off of the little *shelf* on the eliptical trainer and it got all tangled in the depths of the machine b/c I didn't stop soon enough. I had to go to the front desk to get one of the staff to help me un-tangle it. Perhaps this is why I don't have many gym buddies at the club.

4. Where do you love to travel?
I don't actually travel much. We have a cottage in Michigan and I love going there for weekends b/c it is such a good break. When I get time and money (!!), I have my eyes on a horseback riding trip in Italy. It is one where you ride thru little towns in Tuscany and have picnics and sample wine. Riding, picnics, and alcohol...what more could a girl want?? I just have to find someone who wants to go with b/c I don't think H would find it very much fun.

5. How is the new house progressing?
House? What house? Please don't make me leave the Motel 6...I am just starting to fit in! Just kidding. H is nearly finished with the wiring and once that is complete, probably today actually, in comes the insulation/drywall! YEA! Martha here has been scoping out colors so we will be prepared to paint when the time comes. We should be in sometime in early July. Mind you, that means extending our lease for a month here at the Motel 6. The exciting thing about that is that by then we will be able to check out the crowd at the swimming pool here on the property. Excellent blog material, I think, if they are anything close to the folks in the laundry building.

Want to spill your darkest secrets too?
If you are interested in being interviewed by me, here are the rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying “interview me.”
2. I will respond by asking you five questions here. They will be different questions than the ones above.
3. You will update YOUR blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

It was a full moon effect, I think

I went to my favoritist job last evening at the barn. There is a new horse at the barn named Luna. Luna is all black except for a teensy crescent moon of white on her forehead (hence the name Luna)...she is so beautiful! El Instructor was riding her the other day and when she moves she looks like she is floating. He is trying to keep her fit for one of the boarders who is getting ready to sell her for mega $$$. Last night I finished with Oz and I decided to ride my trusty schoolhorse, the one who lives outside and is usually caked with mud. (He is no Luna) While I was getting *tacked up*, El Instructor said he was going to hop on Luna. What? In the same Olympic arena as me? You guessed it, dear reader, the dual for the gold medal was on.

For those individuals who didn't have tickets to last night's event, here is a recap:

1) Trusty schoolhorse is about a foot shorter than Luna so as Instructor and I began to trot together in sort of a mini paux de deux, Luna was halfway around the arena before my horse and I even got going. It was more of a paux de one and a half.
2) I was concentrating so hard on getting my position correct that several times I suddenly looked up to see Luna/Instructor headed right for me! El Instructor said, "Don't worry, I'll try not to run you over". Reassuring.
3) I decided, at one point, to canter (for non-riders, the canter is one step up from a trot). When I went to do it, tho, trusty schoolhorse got spooked by the very scary shadow in front of us that was going to attack and kill him so he bolted sideways and took off at the same time. As Luna/Instructor floated past us once again at a magnificant trot, I was straightening my helmet, trying to unclench my hand from the saddle strap, and trying to look cool and collected at the same time. I am not very good at that.
4) In all, schoolhorse and I had a good ride; however, we had a few faults that counted against us. In a competition of this caliber, there just isn't room for costly errors. We're going to go home, work on a few things to iron out the wrinkles, and come back next week.

No gold for us, I'm afraid.

Knock Knock...Who's There?

Last night was the only timeslot I have had open all week to do laundry. Such the busy girl! H was working at the house so I was laundry-ing and and having my cocktail hour solo after a tough day's work when suddenly there was a knock at the door. Mind you, at this point in the evening, I had not eaten since my bowl of low-fat granola at lunch and I was on my second drink so I was feeling *kind of* good. I was also in my "laundry uniform" which is a pair of oversized sweat pants with a t-shirt and oversized fleece NASCAR sweatshirt. I kind of look like an orphan but I do seem to fit-in just right with the Motel 6 laundry crowd, especially with the whole NASCAR look. (I am not a fan but my brother works for NASCAR so I wear it to offer my support.) Who would want to visit? Don't they know the Motel 6 is too small for visiting??? So anyway, I asked who it was and this woman, Diana, answered who I happen to know from waaaaay back when I worked at the bank. She was a coworker...we weren't really friends, but we chatted now and then. Diana also happens to be a Jehovah's Witness. She was visiting the lady across the hall (who hates me b/c I always have a cocktail when she sees me) but the lady was not answering so Diana was worried something may be wrong, seeing that the lady who hates me is on oxygen most of the time. Diana had no idea I live at the Motel 6 so when I opened the door (mind you, in uniform AND slightly intoxicated) she was extremely surprised and thrilled it was me. (Ever the popular one, aren't I?) There were 2 conservative JH guys with her who must have thought I was some kind of heathen b/c I probably smelled like a distillery and my poodles were going nuts with friendliness. It was quite a scene. Diana wanted to use my phone to call across-the-hall lady to make sure she was ok. It ended up the 6 of us (the 2 JH guys, Diana, Me, & 2 poodles) stood there for about 20 minutes b/c Diana was all chatty like my very bestest friend and, needless to say, so was I since I was kind of loopy. It was really funny...but now that I think about it, they will probably be back after some discussion on how to reform the apartment drunk who lives across from their fellow Jehoviah's Witness friend. I must move soon.

You sure had me fooled!

When we moved into the Motel 6 last year, we had to go thru this major lease-signing ordeal with an illustreous member of the property management staff named *Sheila*. It was August, we had just closed on our house, had 24 hours to vacate, it was about 700 degrees outside, and instead of lounging by the pool with a fresh cocktail w/umbrella garnish, we had to move. *Sheila* was one of those people who was very into following the rules. (I, on the other hand, usually can't give 2 sh*** about rules, especially when I am being told I must follow them.) As H, Sheila, and I foraged our way thru the War and Peace-sized lease agreement, I found I myself rather irritated at the way Sheila annunciated each and every syllable. Perhaps it was the stress of the move or the heat or the thought of leaving my beloved home for this 10-month adventure in living. Whatever it was, I was, by the end of the afternoon, starting to imitate Sheila right back at her when I an-sw-ered a qu-es-tion. H was kind of laughing nervously b/c he knows how I can get when I am in this state of stress and I am not kind.

At last we had our keys and we began to move our household. We had moved most of the big furniture and we were making huge progress cramming the rest of our belongings into this teensy space when I mentioned to H that I kept smelling this nasty odor. After some investigation, we discovered the carpeting was saturated with cat pee. Let's just say at this point, I was not so happy nor was I so kind. I phoned the apartment office and *Sheila* answered. I explained the situation, invited her down for a whiff, and asked how soon someone was coming to replace the carpeting. In her ph-oe-nic voice she said, "Well, I don't think there is anything we can do." Wrong answer Sheila. Being Saturday, Sheila didn't think any carpet could be replaced and we should probably just continue moving our entire life into the cat pee-filled apartment and wait until, say, MONDAY. I thought not. Several phonecalls back and forth escalated into Sheila contacting the property manager who happened to be on vacation somewhere...probably a sunny place slamming back umbrella drinks. Property-Manager-Woman sprung from her chaise lounge and coordinated new carpeting, compensation, etc from her tropical paradise holiday. In the course of events, I not only tore Sheila a new hole, I voiced my concerns about said employee to vacationing Property-Manager-Woman. H was stunned. He later told me I was a woman possessed. Let's face it, I may have been somewhat unreasonable; however, it was to be our *NEW HOME*. (So stated in the apartment complex brochure.)

Fast forward to today: I had to run to Target on my lunch hour and, in a bit of a rush, dashed to the cashier who had the shortest line. When I heard the "...and how-are-you-to-day?", I realized I had dashed right into NewCashier Sheila's lane! I not only wondered if she recognized me w/out 4-letter words spewing viciously from my mouth, I wondered why her name tag said *Kitty*??? Did she change her name b/c word on the street is that she had more than one bad experience with a Motel 6 resident? How clever of *Sheila/Kitty*...bet no one else will pick up on the voice-thing and recognize her, tho!

Check out this *new fridge*!!!

Incoming!!

With the fridge-fiasco behind me, I decided to head to the gym after work yesterday to workout and see if the Non-Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt guy was there w/his gatorade and supportive-wife. The building where the gym is used to be a grocery store. It still kind of freaks me out that I am tread-milling right where I used to be buying tampons; however, I guess that is what happens when you live in your old hometown. Anyway, the workout machines are all in rows facing several TV's. The treadmills are in the first row and then there are two rows of eliptical trainers (probably 15 in each row) and then the nautilas machines are behind THOSE. I am not being anal, just setting up the scenario for you...

Last evening I did my eliptical training for my usual 45 mins and then I got on a treadmill (remember, front row!) to kind of wind-down my cardio with a bit of cross-training. I was all "in my zone" with my ipod so I was, naturally, feeling very fit and buff. I had the ipod sitting on the little treadmill shelf while I power-walked. Suddenly, in my cardio-pumping arm movement, I caught my hand on the earphone wire and the ipod went flying! The earphone wire disconnected and the ipod, still blasting out The Venga Boys, hit the moving belt of the treadmill and flew back toward the folks on the eliptical trainers in Row 2. The series of events happened so fast I forgot how to turn off the treadmill...so I was still walking briskly (no arm movements, tho) with one earphone still in my ear and the other dangling along with the connection wire. With my lightening-fast reflexes, I hopped off the back end of the treadmill. My poor ipod body had been propelled about 3 feet after rocketing off the belt! I tried to act all cool and casually pick up the body and re-insert my earphones. I then calmly (!!!) turned off the treadmill, got back on, and restarted my walk as if nothing at all had happened. I have no idea if anyone, including my Non-Brad-Pitt/Tom Cruise Neighbor and supportive wife Jennie, took all of this in or if they were all "in the zone" themselves. No one cared to comment to me when I finished my workout and had to walk thru the 2 rows of eliptical trainers to get to the water fountain. Maybe they were all just very impressed with my amazing reflexes...LOL

A+ Room Service at The Motel 6

You know, I might just decide to live permanently at the Motel 6. What a maintenance crew! H & I were up bright and early to dig the milk, butter, and coffee creamer out of the coolers so we could eat breakfast. When leaving for work, I left a note for Earnest & Co. saying their turning up the setting on the fridge, for some reason, did not work so maybe they have a fridge from 1995 they could install in our apartment. When I didn't hear from anyone by 10:30, I phoned...all ready to barrage them all with "oh ya, and YOU'LL be paying for the next 10 bags of ice!" or "look, nothing else will FIT in the dorm fridge". Unfortunately, I got the answering machine. Maintenance Joe, who works with Maintenance Earnest called me finally to ask if I could please remove the dogs from the apartment so they could "see if we can fix the fridge". I had to leave work and take our pseudo doberman guard dogs to my parent's house. My mom thought she was being halarious by asking if I was going to get a side-by-side with ice maker and reverse osmosis water dispenser and maybe even a built-in TV. Very funny Mother WTC.

I finally got word from Maintenance Joe that they did all they could; however, they could not save the old fridge. I couldn't believe it. "No!", I screamed and hurled myself to the ground in grief, "How could you just let it die?" (I then wondered briefly if maybe they would find a body behind the fridge when they took it out. Let's face it, it had been there since I was in high school!) "Nope", said Joe, "We had to install a new one and it is all set" All Clear from Maintenance... and the pseudo-dobermans could return to the Motel 6! I'll try to see if Missy will pose for a pic to post.

At long last, we now have a spankin new fridge complete with plastic crisper! H is going to be thrilled. I say we halt construction on the house and just check in to the Motel 6 for good. YEAH JOE and ERNEST!!!!!

Motel 6 EMERGENCY!

The weather has been so nice and warm and sunny it is too hard to stay in the confines of the Motel 6. If my warm-weather clothes were to be found (I think they are stored at my parent's house...), I would be wearing shorts...it is THAT nice. Of course, one major downfall of this fabulous weather is when the refridgerater decides to conk. I grew up in the town where we live and I remember I was in high school or early college when the Motel 6 was constructed. (It used to be a cornfield) I would venture to guess the original appliances are still in our apartment. The gold color may have been a clue. Anyway, I was at my horse-exercising job last evening and was happily on my way home at about 9 pm after another Olympic caliber ride on my trusty lesson horse. I was starving and ready for a sweet glass of wine and a light sandwich when suddenly I got a call from H. He babbled something about trying to find the damn cooler in the storage unit and he was buying ice and everything was melted. What??? Yep, he had come home to find that our 1980's era fridge had died. Bet there isn't a warranty, either. He had stopped home before going to the new house to work and when he reached into the ice bin to get ice for his Coke, it was all liquified. That and the ice cream. When we moved to the Motel 6, we bought one of those dorm-sized fridges b/c there was not room in the kitchen one for all of our beer and wine. (REALLY!) H tried to put food into the small fridge but, needless to say, it was already jammed with beer and wine (go figure!). He also phoned the Motel 6 Maintenance Team to alert them of the outage. When he got home from running out to find the cooler/ice/buy fresh milk/etc. there was a note from Earnest (Motel 6 Maint.) that said he and the Maint. Team had entered the apartment and turned the fridge setting to HIGH and they'd be back to check it tomorrow. Yep, that'll help, guys! This morning the fridge was not only still warm, it was starting to smell like closed-up defrosted fridge. I hope Earnest and the rest of the Motel 6 team are on it first thing! More to come...

Just Say No

I have decided I must stop being such a pushover. I used to try to be "An assertive woman of the 90's"; however, since the 90's are well behind us and I am still a big wuss I think for the 00's I will call myself "Just Dump Your Crappy Responsibilities on Me Because I Can't Say No Woman". Why is it that no matter how hard I try I am always the Camp Counselor/Responsible one in the group/marriage/tribe/den? In my marriage, I am nearly always the one who thinks of an outing, plans travel and activities, arranges food, and then executes all of the above so it runs like a well-oiled machine. I have tried experiments to see if anyone else (like H, for instance) surprises me with a date. It just doesn't happen. It is the same with my social life...and I find that by the time we get to the *event*, I am pissed-off, exhausted, not even looking forward to whatever it is, and desperately in need of a drink because I did most of the work to get there. What is wrong with me?

As I have mentioned, I work with a riding program for people with disabilities...remember the golden horseshoes??? LOL Well, I am trying to ease my way out of the thing b/c I really don't have time to devote to it with house building/moving and since I started my second little job of working with OZ and getting riding time for free at my lesson barn. I have told the other people involved that I am just not going to be available for everything and I will concentrate on scheduling the volunteers. Period. This approach is not working. I get constant phone calls asking can I come out to help shovel at the barn and can I go look at this new horse and can I work on this and that...and I have a hard time saying no b/c I am afraid the whole group will hate me. LOL Is this not pathetic??? The reason I am writing about this is b/c I am up at 6 am on a Saturday b/c I agreed to go to the barn to feed the horses this morning while the rest of the group went to the Hoosier Horse Fair in Indianapolis. Now mind you, the reason I didn't go to the HHF is b/c I am supposed to help H with the wiring of the house today. I think the group thought that I was staying home to do all of the horsecare while they are off having fun at the HHF! They were peeved that I didn't offer to feed Friday/Saturday/Sunday! (I only agreed to feed this am...YEAH ME!!) Please note the barn is about 40 minutes from here and the price of gas is $2.25 a gallon...and I was supposed to run out there 5 times? So here I am getting ready to head out by 6:30 while the rest of them are probably dragging my name thru the mud b/c they had to find another sucker to feed the rest of the weekend. Maybe I am making progress by only helping out this morning but why am I feeling so guilty?? Argh.

31 Flavors

This post is for Blog Hero Stacy: Help.

Dear Stacy,

I was in Meijers the other day doing my grocery shopping and, of course, scouting the latest shipment of Columbia clothing. While wandering down the snack aisle, I saw they had almost a whole row of Genisoy Crisps...isn't that your brand? I was thinking, "Hmmmmm...if bloghero Stacy likes them, and she's pretty honest, maybe I should give them a try." The problem is, they are nearly $3 a bag and I don't want to buy a flavor I don't like.

Please, if this is your *brand*, at your earliest convenience, do a brief review of some of the preferred flavors. Your assistance is most appreciated as I am on a tight grocery budget due not to the building of a house; rather, a preference for outdoor clothing.

Many thanks,
WTC

The future's sooooo bright...

Ya just have to wear shades...to the gym!

Just an update: The Brad Pitt/Tom Cruise/Matt Damon/Skydiver/Motel 6 Celeb arrived at the gym tonight while I was eliptically training. He not only had his football jersey on; he also wore sunglasses for his entire workout. I watched and he had 2 bottles of Gatorade that he put beside him while he did the exercise bike routine. Then, sunglasses still on, he wandered in and out of the weight machines while carrying the nearly-full Gatorades. Supportive Wife Jennie, on the other hand, was working her ass off on the eliptical trainer, treadmill, and weights, sans the sport drinks. I think we can figure out who SHOULD wear the glasses in that family.

...but we DO still live here

I knew H would be working on the house most of the long Easter weekend so I took it upon myself to rent some movies (in hopes of sprawling on the couch with some wine and kleenex) that I knew he really wouldn't want to see...ya know, the chick flick thing. I need a good dose of it once in awhile...just a couple of good cries to get me back to my emotionally normal self. I once rented The Saddle Club videos...they are aimed at pre-teens and it is a series about these kids who ride at a stable called Pine Hollow. I ended up sobbing at one of the episodes b/c the girl's horse got hurt. I decided then and there that I must be either super-hormonal or I was way past my dose of sappy movies.

One of the movies I rented was We Don't Live Here Anymore. I had wanted to see it but it never came to the theaters around here. I found out it was on video when Blog-Hero Stacy reviewed it. Wow. Heavy duty stuff! I will say I didn't cry but the movie sure made me think. As someone who has been married nearly 18 years and sadly not all of them wonderful and tender, the movie was, in a way, a reality check. It really doesn't matter what the problem is that causes such a tear in a relationship...the end result is that you feel like you are supposed to love this person because they are your forever spouse but you might not, and since you should but you are not sure, it is really frightening. See what I mean? It gets all wacky! The sad thing is that when you try to *work on things*, it is just not possible to get back to where you once were with what you once had. After our TBM (Time of Bad Marriage), I finally realized you just have to work with what you've got and try to move forward with teensy baby steps and a lot of patience. This movie made me feel a lot more normal b/c a lot of people go thru this stuff...they just usually don't talk about it and certainly, they don't let you into their lives to see the nitty gritty crap and emotional gunk that goes on at home as they move thru their own TBM's. I, of course, thought we were the only ones who had late-night battles and uncomfortable morning conversations. Wow, I AM ok!!

Well, that is my deep thoughts post. You shouldn't have read it...it was really just for venting purposes. Then again, thinking about relationships is something all of us need to do from time to time, especially these long-term doosies!

He's no Brad Pitt!

I was in the Motel 6 laundry building a couple of weeks ago doing my usual 6 simultaneous loads of laundry while simultaneously having a few drinks and, I guess, simultaneously getting tipsy. On one trek across the parking lot to *check the sheets* (laundry speak: *check the sheets* = periodically opening the dryer to make sure the bedsheets do not roll themselves into a tight twisted ball with the rest of the dryer load trapped within them so the entire dryer load ends up as a hot, damp, wrinkled tangle that has to be dried again for another hour and another dollar...my theory is that this only happens in commercial dryers, never at home) While un-twisting the sheet and trying not to dump the trapped items onto the gross floor, a woman started talking to me. (She was folding her clothes on the table...I never fold my clothes on the table b/c I am afraid the table is kind of dirty) So, anyway, she said her name was Jennie and she and her husband moved here from Indianapolis b/c her husband is getting into acting and Chicago is a great town for that and this is so close, etc. I asked how long they had been here and she said they have lived in the Motel 6 for almost 3 years. (OMG!!) She said they had just signed another lease b/c the acting gig was going well. As she raved about her husband's blossoming career, I started to picture this young-ish Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt/Matt Damon kind of guy...and I was thinking, "hmmmmm...a hottie living HERE? In the Motel 6???" I decided to keep an eye out so someday I could be interviewed for a People Magazine article about how he was such a nice neighbor and his first wife and I used to do laundry together and I once or twice got a glimpse of his boxer shorts, etc etc...it was quite the visual, naturally, after a few cocktails. I told H about the conversation and he said, "Hey, I think Jennie is the one who drives the car that has the *Skydiving* bumper sticker on it." ...and a skydiver too? Hmmmmmmm...I couldn't wait to get a look at this hot actor skydiver-guy!

As I said, this all happened a few weeks ago. Every time I walked out to the dumpster or the car or over to the laundry, I had my eye out for Jennie's husband. I was looking for maybe a leather jacket/dark smoldering eyed-man...or maybe a blondie guy with all-American good looks. It became a bit of an obsession...I even had H watching for him as well. Daily we combed the parking lot with no sightings...only the car with the Skydiving bumper sticker.

This past week it all came to a head. I was at the gym, winding down my workout, when I saw Jennie's car drive into the parking lot. I stayed on the treadmill a few moments longer...maybe The Husband was coming to the gym! MY gym! I saw Jennie get out of the car and walk with a huge smile towards this guy. Surely this wasn't...it couldn't be...NO WAY! Yes way. She gave him a big smooch and he wrapped his arms around her and together they came into the gym.

It was not Brad Pitt. It was not Matt Damon. It was not Tom Cruise. It was more like a combination of Chris Farley and John Candy with a little bit of nerd mixed-in. I was crushed. As I told H, he had a sort of roundy body, a shock of unkept red hair, and a similarly unkept type of goatee thing, He was wearing a football jersey, sweat pants with a few holes, and old dirty tennis shoes. Def. not iron man material and def. not a reason for People Mag to be contacting me anytime soon.

I am sooooo stoned.

I am off today...YEAH! It is, at times, beneficial to work for a manufacturing company. I get to wear jeans to work and I get a few holiday-type days off. I used to work in Banking...that really stunk as far as wardrobe and days off. As is often the case on *days off*, H is working so he not only still let me get up first to let the dogs out, start the coffee, and get the paper, he then said, "Are you REALLY busy today?" What am I going to say,..."Yes, I will be terribly busy! I was thinking of going to the barn for my riding lesson and then spending the afternoon watching a few chick flick videos and drinking wine while sprawled on the sofa." Shamefully, that really is what I had planned. Until this morning when I got *The Question*. So, I cheerfully (fake, oh so fake!) said I wasn't too booked and what did he need me to do? His answer, unfortunately, was not to ride, watch videos, and drink wine. Ya, go figure. He wanted me to go to this stone place to look at different stone colors and styles and shapes for the fireplace, the outside of the house, and for this little column-thingie we are having inside the house. As mentioned in earlier posts, I am really not a decision-maker, especially when it involves long-term relationships with color, shape, and texture. You would understand if you had seen my hair the past few years.

Sans videos, wine, and general relaxation (no skipping the riding lesson!) I went to the stone place. ok, let's make a list: 1) The place was huge 2) The salesguy handed me this zillion page brochure showing these fabulous homes...AS IF my house will even remotely look like those pictured...with examples of the fine stonework possibilities 3) You are supposed-to choose, again the committment issue, the stone you will be looking at for the next 30 years (I figure by then I'll be packing up for the nursing home), by looking at a 12" square sample. What is with that?

I wandered here and there, hither and yon, thru the showroom. Shall I select fieldstone, cobblestone, drift stone, pourous stone, ye-old-brick stone, stone with morter, stone with no morter, what type of hearth?...it was a plethera of stone! I hate to say this, but it was almost a relief to get back home to the generic safety of the Motel 6. I did lug the catalog home so H & I can peruse the carolina stone, the river rock, the limestone, the water wash stone, the coral stone, the split-face stone, and the Pro-Fit Ledgestone. Anyone up for wine and videos???

I just wanna be in the IN crowd...

So I stole the list from katie/Stacy/kiddo...

I am: usually tired.
I know: a cocktail after work is necessary most days.
I wish: I had my own horse.
I miss: being in college and having lots of friends and late night drink/chat sessions.
I fear: I will never be completely happy with myself and where I am.
I hear: everything going on in this Motel 6 apartment.
I wonder: when H & I will finally have a relaxing vacation together.
I regret: Not being more carefree when I was younger.
I love: cocktails and horses... oh ya, H too!
I ache: when I see old men by themselves.
I care: about the small things.
I always: make sure I kiss H and the poodles every time I leave the house.
I am not: very confident in myself.
I dance: better without shoes.
I sing: very loud in the car when I am alone.
I do not always: tell H what I buy on ebay.
I should not: be passive aggressive during arguements with H
I write: little stories in my head.
I win: at most arguements.
I lose: my mind on a regular basis.
I confuse: people's names all the time.
I listen: to other people's conversations when I am shopping.
I go: for walks outside whenever possible.
I am happy about: learning it is ok to pamper myself once in awhile.

Why didn't she SAY something?

I made the most gruesome discovery yesterday. I am embarassed to even blog about it, but the more I think about it, the more I feel I need to express it for healing purposes.

I have been starving my poodle. Yeah, Missy, the one that is my blog model. I guess watching one's food intake is something models do; however, Missy isn't exactly ready for Victoria's Secret or Sports Illustrated. She is more about home decor and golden horseshoes. It all began about a month or so ago when I started shopping at a different grocery store. This different grocery store happened, one day when I ran in for a coupla things, have their entire Columbia Sportswear line on sale for like 75% off. Needless to say, I was all about it. I started going to that store thereafter just to see if there was more Columbia on sale. Oh, I realize it was a little ridiculous, but the bargains were fantastic! Cool shirts and sweats and polar fleece... it went on and on until I had myself convinced this was my *new* store for grocery (and Columbia bargains) shopping.

I may have mentioned the poodles...we have 2 of them, Missy and Mr. P. I wanted Labs but H is afraid of bigger dogs so somehow I got rooked into poodles. Actually, they are really wonderful dogs...you just have to treat them like Labs so they don't learn to act all poodle-y. Our poodle Mr. P is a humongous eater. He will eat anything and everything...so he is a very *solid* toy poodle. A bit like a tank, actually. Missy, on the other hand, is one of those dogs that picks at her food and maybe only eats half of it but then has a ton of energy. She is very petite and kicks Mr. P's ass most of the time.

When I began my shopping at the *new* store, I found that the store brand of dog food was significantly less expensive than the usual Purina Small Bites, while still being 100% nutritionally complete. So, in my quest to keep the grocery budget the same with the addition of my Columbia purchases, I began to buy this new dog food for Missy & Mr. P. It seemed that Mr. P, as usual, had no adjustment problems...he dove in just as usual. Missy still seemed to be picking at her food which didn't seem at all unusual. That is, until over the weekend H & I were talking and we found in comparing notes that Missy didn't EVER seem to be eating. I thought he was refilling her dish and he thought I was! We were very concerned. Yesterday, I tried a very high-tech experiment. I put Missy's food in a ziplock bag and smashed the kibbles into smaller bits with a hammer. I then put the *bites* in her bowl. Oh, the guilt! Missy gobbled that food so fast she barely took her nose out of the bowl. Afterwards, she gave this huge burp, drank some water, and gave me a glazed and happy look that said, "You stupid cheapskate, didn't you KNOW that food was too big for me to eat?" Then, as she waited at the sliding door to go out for a poo, she looked back like, "Ya, nice *Columbia* sweatshirt."

BQ for you experts out there...

I have a blog question (BQ) - I just love using initials for things...it can get very funny at times. Anyway, I have a BQ for my BH (Blog Hero!) LOL. Stacy, of course, is my BH; however, sometimes she is busy baking holiday cakes (today IS Palm Sunday after all), working out (like I should be instead of sitting here blogging or browsing ebay), or adding songs to her MP3 player (which is another question in itself, but one at a time) so any of the faithful readers out there can answer:

How do you add your favorite blog friends and heros to your blog page so they are listed right there and are just a click away?

It is probably very simple and I am just acting my true senile age but I would most appreciate some guidence on how to do it. I am borrowing the BQ format from kiddo b/c he asked about how to post pictures. Thanks kiddo! I now use Photobucket too! (Tho I have not yet posted a pic...maybe later)

TY,
WTC

Thanks again, G!

Today was G's memorial service...geez, those things are so difficult. Especially when you really LIKED the person! It was a 2 hour drive so by the time we got there, of course, I had worked myself into an emotional disaster. (Is this pre-menopause??) H & I met up with some people we knew...they were G's circle of buddies. I think what makes me most sad is that when I see all of them w/out G, they look so different. He was such a magnet...everyone was together when he was around. 2 of his friends did readings during the service...they were wonderful and both bang-on as far as what a good friend G was.

There was a guy there who was, before my "time of bad marriage (TBM)", a very good friend and then he was the same friend who, right in the midst of "TBM," screwed both G & I...he just got so wierd and got very mean and selfish and basically dissed his 2 closest buddies, mostly b/c he started dating this girl who was one of those bitch-women who won't let their man talk to any woman unless previously approved...I so hate that type. Long story...but anyway, he was there and I had not seen him for about a year. He broke up w/"bitch woman" and we have kind of made up even tho it was really hard to do b/c his behavior really hurt me and many other friends. So, anyway, we are all sitting in the the church today and friend-guy was sitting down the row from us...and who trots in and plants herself right next to him?...Bitchwoman! LOL I was so cracking up b/c G and I used to talk about how evil she was and G would get so catty when he was ragging on her , picking apart every bitchy detail...and then here she comes to his very own memorial service! I can only imagine what he was saying upstairs...LOL LOL What a good laugh...it was classic even tho friend-guy had no clue why I was suddenly so smiley. Good ol G...thanks for one last laugh!

Who needs him anyway??

I arrived at the barn tonight for my little job with OZ the Giant after a rather trying week at work. So trying, in fact, that I am taking tomorrow off. Anyway, instead of investing thousands of dollars in therapy (I am, afterall, saving for a horse!), I go to my little barn job and relax with my horse buddies and try not to get all jealous of the people who are wealthy enough to board there.

So, I arrive and my friend is there...the friend whose neurologist live-in-guy just bought her a 13K Arab with bloodlines. Ok, so I hate her for that reason, let's just put that out in the open. Her horse is a beaut...and I don't even really like Arabs. She is really a nice person...and I don't even really like people who get horses for free. Am I just a bitch or is this completely normal?

OZ the Giant was a little bit hyper tonight but he is such a sweetie we will forgive him for the time being. I also got to *ride* again; however, I had to share the Olympic arena with a few others who were riding as well. Thus, I didn't have room to do my musical freestyle or practice my stadium jumping. I rode a different-than-usual horse...he is not a very nice one to ride butwhocaresitwasfree! I am so glad I am starting to feel much more confident and comfy! YEAH! It doesn't matter that I don't have a neurologist boyfriend to buy me a horse or pay for boarding at the poshy barn. I have my little job with riding benefits and my new craft career to slide me right into middle age.

Missy proudly models *The Golden Horseshoes*!

And the gold goes to....

Last evening after work I went to my little job at the barn to longe OZ the giant. I think I am falling in love with him. Probably because he is 8' tall, dark with velvety eyes, and priced way out of my budget. He was such a good boy! After I finished with OZ, El Instructor told me I should ride since that is what my little job is for anyway and I was working with OZ a lot and not even riding much. Did someone say RIDE??

I was once again alone under the lights of the Olympic arena with my grand prix stallion. A canter here, a diagonal of extended trot there, a little piaffe and passage and then we finished with an X/Halt/Salute. Ya right. But it was great fun! First I had to trudge through the mud outside to the pasture because my poor lesson horse has been booted from the comfy barn to make room for another boarder (who happens to be a friend of mine who happens to live with a guy who is a neurologist who happens to cheerfully and willingly support her riding habit thereby last week buying her a dapple grey Arabian with bloodlines for $13K...whateveah.). When I found my trusty quarter horse, he was caked with mud. Poor little guy. I saddled-up after chipping away the necessary areas for saddle and girth, and we were off! I was indeed alone in the indoor arena which was very nice even tho my trusty steed kept moving away from my mounting block every time I tried to get on him. When I was at last in the saddle, it took me about 15 mins to get him on the bit...we are still working on that part but believe me, 15 mins is an IMPROVEMENT! I rode my muddy-legged horse for about an hour total and when I happened to look up to the viewing area above the arena, El Inst. was giving me a thumbs up...so I must have been doing ok. YEAH! A somewhat healing marriage, a very nice full time job, volunteer work to pay back to my community and what makes me smiley and happy like a 5 year old? A muddy chestnut quarter horse who barely lets me on his back. I am so wierd.

Art Class 101

I am happy to report my *golden horseshoes* turned out very well. I AM crafty like Martha! What a self-confidence booster. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to attach the blue sateen-like ribbon to the painted golden horseshoes until I, in my wanderings around the craft mecca trying to find the checkout lane, came upon rivets! Yes, rivets!! I figured I could attach the rivet to the ribbon and then superglue the ribbon to the horseshoe. Who knew? With only minimal damage to the kitchen floor of the Motel 6 (just a few small dings from the hammer hitting the rivet), and slight skin irritation where the superglue got on my finger thereby getting everything in a 2-foot range to stick to said finger, my *golden horseshoes* are works of art. I will take a pic to post here...as long as they are not too too shiny to photograph.

Next I will attempt to faux paint the pseudo-tiles of the Motel 6 bathroom...j/k!

It's Soooooooooo Easy!

I am, I hate to say, about to embark on a *craft project*. I am not a craft person...the only connection I have to Martha Stewart is that I am into food. Eating it, mostly...but maybe that counts in some obscure way. Anyway, as a part of my Volunteer Coordinator duties for the riding program with which I am involved, I have to be *crafty*. In order to get our volunteers more involved with our riding classes, I have spent nearly the entire winter revamping the volunteer training program. We will now be monitoring our students' progress with *The Golden Horseshoe Point System*. Ya, I know...makes you want to get involved, doesn't it? Naturally, part of *The Golden Horseshoe Point System* involves Golden Horseshoes. Guess who is making the horseshoes golden? LOL This morning I headed to the craft store to get my supplies. I was rather afraid I might be arrested by the craft police as I entered the place...they can probably spot a non-crafter a mile away. The place was huge. I wanted to look like I knew exactly what supplies I needed so I tried appear very calm and cool as I strolled down the scrapbooking aisle, the foam aisle, the I-don't-know-what-the-hell-that-was aisle until I finally found the paint. Oh yeah, baby, these horseshoes are going to be 18 karot gold-plated! (Maybe I will be able to sell them on QVC when the program is finished.) The most interesting thing about my field trip to the craft store today is the people. There were several husband/wife craft teams! One guy was helping his wife pick out beads in the *Let's make jewelry aisle*! I could so imagine H helping me pick out beads. "WTC, here is one that is shaped like a boob...and it's silver!" I am happy I survived the experience (1)without making fun of the people out loud and (2) Finding the required items for my craft. I am now off to gold-plate those *golden* horseshoes...It's SOOOOOOOOOOOO easy!

A Good Friend is Hard to Find :(

Yesterday I got the bad news that my very good friend and former riding instructor passed away. He was one of the most melodramatic individuals I have ever known, yet he died in his sleep. Almost as if he wanted to get the last laugh and just go quietly, without a big story as was usually the case with him. I am so sad, selfishly, because he helped me out in so many ways and I will miss him. I went through a time a few years ago...all I can call it was *a time*...there is no other way to describe it. My marriage was a wreck, one of my very bestest friends had betrayed me, my job was in jeapordy because of all of this, and I honestly thought I was *losing it*. Such a long story and it seems like ages ago. I, of course (!!) was still taking riding lessons...tho, I doubt I was accomplishing much for $40/30 min. Poor G, my instructor, patiently listened to my frustrations and put up with my crying. I was so tense I once nearly got thrown into the arena wall by a bucking horse. What did G do?...he stood there and yelled, "HANG ON!" LOL As a tribute to my friend G, I will publish a list of "My 10 Reasons I Love G"...I'll miss you!

1) G was the first gay person I met who talked openly about his gayness and actually enjoyed my questions about what it was like to be gay. We went to gay bars, met more gay people... I learned volumes.

2) He was the only person I have ever met who could meet someone he knew just about anywhere he went...it was a treat to trek to Chicago with him.

3) He taught me that no matter how poor a person is, one can always, ALWAYS enjoy food. Whatta cook.

4) I am still in awe of his love for animals of any kind. G kept chickens and one day after my lesson we found one of his chickens had been killed. We turned to see a hawk climbing the wire fence of the chicken coop to get to another chicken...G wacked the hawk with his leg (!!) and cornered him, gave him a lecture on why the sonofabitch should stay away from his chickens, and then watched him fly off. I had never seen a hawk up-close...they are very scary.

5) G was one of those people who had something wierd and funny happen to him no matter what he was doing. I so looked forward to his, "...ok, you won't believe what happened to me over the weekend..." It was always classic. And funny.

6) The people I met, the places I saw, the lessons I learned, and the food I ate as a result of having known G are many. He had this amazing network of movie stars, migrant workers, brain surgeons, messed-up, and together people...the list is endless. I am a better person as a result.

7) Thanks, G, for never again mentioning the time we were having the lesson outside and we were talking about our friend (the friend who so betrayed me...and YOU) and I started sobbing and then you started sobbing and we finally had to go to the barn to cry because we were so sad. How could this happen to us? It was so nice to have a friend that day.

8) G was strong for a teensy guy. He was shorter than I and def. weighed less...yet, he never shyed from a nutsy 1500 lb. horse or a crying student. I wish I could have been as strong for him as he was for me.

9) I loved the way he kind of waddled when he walked. The barn where I ride and G worked has very beautiful trails and grounds. During the summer of *the time* we took more than one walk. I was taking a photography class and I had to take pictures with a Ken doll...we were supposed-to pose him in different backgrounds. G was so excited to help...he did his little waddle step down the path to point out some flower or tree for Ken...it cracked me up and the pics were wonderful. Only G could dance like that.

10) G, your memorial service is going to be such a happy/sad time. All your friends will be there...gay/straight...in this time of such stupid homophobia, you are the person who will bring them all together. We all miss and love you. Be happy and thanks for being our friend.

Love, WTC

Here's Missy and the wood floor, cabinet sample, and *kitchen floor*. Thanks Missy, for showing us. Now you can go back to the Motel 6 living area to chew a chair and maybe bark a little bit. 

But will it show dirt?

It is unbelieveable how difficult it is to pick out flooring. I know, it isn't exactly as monumentous as say, achieving world peace, but it is quite a challenge. The funny thing is that when I am at someone's house or really anywhere, I don't really notice flooring. In fact, I would be pressed to tell you what flooring is in the Motel 6. ...but maybe that is just one of those memory blocks in times of great stress that will come back in flashbacks in about 10 years. So, H & I went to the floor store to wade thru the vast selection of colors and types. We had already purchased hardwood flooring for most of the downstairs of the house...that is another story in itself but let's just say H got the deal of a lifetime on it so we had to buy it LAST YEAR...before we had even sold our house. TG for credit cards. I didn't want wood in the kitchen because, well, knowing my knack for spilling things like, um, olive oil and the like I didn't want it to end up looking like it needed to be powerwashed after a year of my abuse. We decided on slate. It is timely, durable, nice looking, and expensive. Really expensive. I did my best sales pitch to convince H of all advantages, timeliness, durability, etc. We found the correct color after this well-done sales job and that was it. Ya right. When the *sample* lot came in, the slate looked like it had been scraped from the bottom of the junkyard. H phoned to say, "you aren't going to like it" ...but I figured he was still a little peeved at how my little pitch convinced him. Nope, the stuff was awful. Yes, it meant another trip to the floor store! I was really disappointed. I just didn't think I could face another few hours of greens and blues and blacks and is this ok and how about that? I trudged with a very heavy heart to the floor store on Saturday. Solo. (H was plumbing the house) After only 30 minutes (30!) I found it. The floor. OK, so who cares if it is a tad (!!) more expensive than our previous choice. It will work! It won't show dirt! Even Missy likes it!!! She loves doing pics...lol (Please note Missy has some eye probs...she is not stoned. Her tear ducts have stopped working so she has constant dry eye...it is awful! She is have surgery in April...I hope it helps her because she is the best of the best! Anyhoo, she wanted to pose with the wood, cabinet door sample, and THE FLOOR.)

My New Job - Part II

I just have a sec b/c I am at work but I want to share a happy moment. Last night I was longeing OZ, the humongous horse. It was after a rather trying day at work and I was feeling kind of beat-up...one of those days when you are really tired and you think you might call off work but you drag yourself to your desk because it is only March and you don't want to use all vaca time... after all, summer will come at some point and maybe I will want the day to sit in the sun and read. (Or sit in a new house and wonder where the hell I am going to put everything.) Than, at work everyone and everything drives you completely nuts and your co-workers all think you are not only growing larger thighs, you are also a bitch. So there I was, going round and round with OZ who was being such a complete peach. I was telepathically thanking him for being the one the one thing in the day that was cooperative while telling him out loud what a good boy he was and how fabulous he looked. (which, by the way, he did...he is a beautiful horse. No wonder he is for sale for $40K!!) El Instructor was giving a lesson in the arena and I was kind of half-listening to that in case I might pick up some tips. I heard him say, "See how nice he looks? That is just how it should go." Then the next sentance was, "Walktrotcanter is doing such a great job with him...I can't believe the difference in such a short time!" !!!!!!!!!!!! I was thrilled!!!!!!! ...even tho I acted like I did not hear it. I just tried to hide the fact that I had made OZ switch directions and the longeline was all tangled up and even knotted and if OZ had decided to bolt, my hand probably would have bolted with him. Maybe I CAN be a horse trainer after all :)

Sorry Guys!

Poor poodles...sorry to *publish* you! You can't even see poor Mr. P, the black dog...he never shows up in pictures because he is so dark! Well, at least I figured this picture thing out without too much trouble. Watch out world...we are still in the Motel 6 for a few more months! LOL

The guys lounging in the Motel 6...this is a test to see if pics will post! 

Home is where the liquor...oops, *HEART* is!

This week has been a bear...and it's only Wednesday. I honestly don't think this winter will ever end. There is a woman at work who gets really depressed every year at this time. This year has been a doosie. She has been to about 4 different doctors for about 4 different things in the past week. Today she went to the "heart doctor" because she didn't think she was getting enough oxygen to her brain. Geez, I thought, I wonder if I should go to the doctor because I am not getting enough booze to my liver. I am normally a sympathetic person for the most part; however, I have extreme issues lately as a result of living in the Motel 6 during this endless winter with someone (H) who is completely obsessed with a new house while I am kind of terrified at the thought of moving to some big place that doesn't feel like home nor does it have a yard or plants and I can't even describe all of this to H because this has been his total and lifelong dream so he just doesn't understand that I don't feel the same way about all things house. (I think that was a humongous run-on or something grammatically incorrect so many apologies to the reader here). I guess you have to be here to understand...and I am quite certain there are people in worse situations so I probably should get a grip, right? Ya, at least I have enough (I think) liquor...er, O2 circulating thru my liver...er, BRAIN.

When Daddy Let Me Drive

I am not a big fan of country music. H hearts country...I think it makes him feel very *American*. Being an Irish Immigrant, he really seems to identify with John Wayne, 4th of July Parades, apple pie, and country music. I am probably not the best *American* wife for him since I don't like any of that stuff except maybe the apple pie. I digress...I don't like country music except for a select few songs. I have Alan Jackson's Greatest Hits and one select song I kind of like talks about how when you are a kid and "Daddy let me drive" and you are driving some junky car but you feel like Mario Andretti...I can so relate to it. Even at age 40, I still have the imagination I had as a 5-year old. On Friday at my riding lesson, El Instructor gave me a longer-than-usual timeslot due to my twice weekly longeing w/Oz. After the lengthy lesson, he said I could ride as long as I wanted "just give it a bit of practice", he said. It was exactly like the song...I had the entire indoor arena to myself so suddenly I was in the Olympics! There I was with my lesson horse doing a complete musical freestyle for the judges. If anyone happened to be looking, I probably looked like a smiling idiot...I was so happy! I was laughing and giggling as I piaffed and passaged...LOL AND, we did very well...I think we even won the gold medal.

Toe the line

Ouch. Can I just say "ouch". I am not the super horse trainer I thought I was...becoming. OZ, the 8-foot horse, stepped on my big toe tonight. Ouch. We had a fabulous little workout, he wasn't mad or anything...he just stood right on my poor toe when I was brushing him. There were other people around, so I didn't scream or writhe in pain...I just said, "Ouch, could you get off my toe?" Luckily, after a few long moments, he stepped off of me. Geez, it hurt. Guess it's part of the job but what is with the pain??? I am too old for this...I wonder if "true" Gen X ers have these problems?

Go Ask Alice

I just found out today that I am tres Gen X! I knew I was teetering precariously on the edge since I was born at the END of 1964 and the cutoff (I read this in some magazine) is 1964-65. I am so cool! Why, you ask? Well, I was totally not expecting to have this humongous *enlightenment* tonight...but when you least expect it...! Let's backtrack. For B-tiMes Day, H surprised...and I mean *SURPRISED* me with an ipod mini...THE MP3 player I had been hoping/praying/hinting-for! I think it was a result of Stacy getting hers...I was reading her blog here in the Motel 6 and excitedly exclaimed, in the presence of H, "Stacy got her thing!" H was like, "HUH?"...so I cheerfully explained that my BlogHero Stacy got her MP3 player so she could workout and be all cool. I def. think H FINALLY got the hint and so there we were on B-tiMes Day. B-times gift was ipod! woo hoo! Sooooo...Mrs. 40-yr old fogie downloaded every totally *fav* song from the CD vault and vio-la...WORKOUT BABY! One of the fav songs or songs plural is Alice DeeJay...an old friend of mine (who happens to be about 10 yrs younger than I) burned me a CD of good ol Alice. I hate to mention it, but this *friend* is one who would experiment with wierd things like "X" and then tell me all aobut the club/music/date scenes, etc. I think Alice DeeJay is or was hot at *the clubs*...but needless to say, she is now also hot at MY club. With me on the eliptical trainer. I was a maniac. (ok flashdance...ewwwwwwwwwwwww) Let's just say I had a good workout and I really appreciate being able to listen to music that H hates and I had stored in my car CD holder-thingie and forgot! Who cares if my thighs grow...I am proud to be a Gen X er!

Hi...meet my new thighs!

I joined a health club a few months ago. Not because I had an MP3 player, either, because I didn't. I joined because the Motel 6 does not have enough room for me to use my treadmill. Ya, I know...big surprise. The Motel 6 does not have enough room for anything except maybe having cocktails...and even then you are squished. We rented a storage unit when we sold our house but it seemed to fill rather quickly with H's *building supplies* he had stored in the basement. We ended up cramming most of our *stuff* into this 1-bedroom apartment. It is kind of wierd to have the majority of my belongings stacked up around me in all of 600 sq. feet. Anyway, I joined *the club* so I could keep up my rigorous workout routine (!!! LOL LOL !!) during this sabbatical-type living. Well, I think I want my money back. Reason being, my thighs are growing. How come everyone else who works out rigorously gets lean and mean and I get bigger thighs? Granted, it seems (from visual inspection) to be muscle...but my jeans don't fit right! Does this happen to other people? Needless to say, it is making me nuts and the only excuse I can think of is that *chez laundry* is shrinking my clothing. I'll give it another couple of weeks...but I think the eliptical trainer workout is a lot different from my reliable old treadmill. Yet another reason to check out of the Motel 6, isn't it?

Burn Baby Burn!

I have had absolutely no time to blog this week and that just sucks. This is my outlet, dammit. I did the whole parental thing on Sunday and Monday. Both trips were fine...I was actually rather proud of my trip-planning. In Chicago the p's enjoyed an informative museum visit and then were wisked via cab to a fabulous Armenian restaurant for lunch. They then strolled a block or 2 down to WaterTower for some shopping time whilst I did my beauty spa thing at the Parke Hyatte. Geez, I sound rich. No, it just pays to have a lot of gay friends...I don't know if this is true everywhere, but the gay friends I have know where all of the good restaurants are and where to get the best *spa* treatments! All in all it was quality time with the p's without the usual stress. YEAH.

Needless to say, the remainder of the week did not go as well. I did my usual *laundry thing* on Wednesday evening and much to my horror there were 2 women sitting in *chez laundry* playing cards and SMOKING. INSIDE. Now smoker-folks out there don't get all mad...I was once an on and off smoker so I am not against the habit completely. What I am getting at is that I was paying $10 to do laundry that was going to smell like I stored it in a bar. What is the point? (Ode to my washer/dryer in storage: I miss you guys...soon we'll be together again!) I realized as one of the women sauntered by me, cigarette in hand, that they were the same women who had the trailier park slinky clothes a week or so before (see previous post). Rather than risk getting the crap kicked out of me, I didn't say anything to them about the smoking. Actually, I am quite a wimp sometimes, despite that I am a mature, successful 40 year old. Instead I phoned the *MANAGEMENT OFFICE* of the Motel 6 to *discuss an issue*. I crack myself up. At least Stephanie was a sympathetic ear to my laundry plight. No doubt they will post a security guard at the chez laundry entrance as a result. Further on laundry night, H had a complete meltdown re the house project. It was in the making...but def. not the night for me to stroll into battle. He ended up sleeping on the couch after proclaiming "I don't care if we live in a trailer...I don't give a s*** about the house!" Ok, so I was picturing myself hanging my slinky nighties from WalMart in chez laundry at age 55. Luckily and much to my surprise, I kept my mouth shut and just went to bed. I must be getting old...I have some sense of timing and I don't just say what I think...like, for instance, "Why the hell are we building this house?" H revcovered and apologized in the morning. He knows he has taken on too much but he will never admit it to me. Well, if nothing else, the laundry room will be paradise.

Parental Supervision

Ya, I know...up kinda early for a Sunday. I have a sister who lives about 3 hours north of here. She is married and has 3 kids...really nice kids, actually. Since H and I went to Ireland right after Christmas, we had not had a chance to get together for all things holiday. We were going to trek up to her place when we got back from our trip. Here we are in February and we still have Christmas presents for them in the livingroom of the Motel 6. I was exclaiming how we are really fitting in here by still having holiday stuff around the place and H said I should just make a date to go to my sis's and he would be there. I should know better. Now that he is back from Ireland he is completely gung ho about the house and has no time to take a drive up north. Since I don't want to go all alone, I asked my mom to go...we do get along ok despite the Christmas tiff. So today I am driving up to sis's with my mom AND dad. That is ok...except for my mom's birthday, which was Friday, I was going to take her into Chicago to the Jackie O exhibit at The Field. It turns out we are going to that tomorrow AND the father is going too! Yipes, TWO days in a row with the p's. They are nice people, they are just parents, you know...they can drive you batty. I did schedule a sanity break during our time in Chicago...I made a appt to get my eyelashes and eyebrows tinted on Michigan Ave. My sister said that was a very smart thing to do and it wasn't selfish at all. :) I am up early to get the sleigh packed (I even cleaned the horse-hair/manure/sawdust car so the p's are riding in class!) for our trip! Departure time for Day 1: 1 hour.

E Z Pay

Today was rather busy for me. I had to dash in and out of the Motel 6 doing errands and whatnot. We live at the far end of the *complex*, so we have to drive down this sort of main drag to get to the exit. The main drag includes the *clubhouse* (I don't know who goes there, but it is kind of nice), the lake with geese all over the place, and this massive flagpole thing that looks very official as you enter the Motel 6 premesis. Anyway, today as I was entering and exiting there were several, and this is common here, Rent a Center trucks making deliveries. I am not sure how all of that works but somehow *renting* furniture doesn't really make sense. Why don't you just buy it? You can buy on payments so it shouldn't be too much difference from the RAC...plus, they have to charge a fortune! I think I would like to see a rent a furnished apartment just to get an idea of the decorating assistance offered by the RAC plan. Am thinking very puffy faux leather couches and a lot of birdcages. Oh ya, cats too. I also wonder about what they do with the furniture if you decide you don't want to rent it anymore? Do they sell it at Wickes? Sorry to sound like the snob but this whole scene is really fascinating to me. I really need to exit the Motel 6 soon...otherwise, I'll be awaiting a delivery! LOL

With Under Cabinet Lighting!

Tonight H & I had an appt to go *look at cabinets*. You are supposed-to know the style you want, the color, the design/layout, and basically what you are going to be cooking for dinner for the next 20 years. I hate stuff like that...I think I am more the impulsive girl so it stresses me out to have to decide to *go* with cabinets that I will be cursing a year from now because they show too much dirt/don't open the right way/are a horrendous color andhowdidIeverchoosethatwasIdrunkatthetime???? Sooooo, there we were in the *design center* and H had instructed me to have some choices ready so we were kind of prepared. Naturally, the choices I chose were all the premium cabinets (it is difficult to have such champagne taste) so we had to narrow it to like only 1 of my choices, the affordable one. Then H and the design guru started in about measurements and clearances and fillers so I wandered around and decided I hate brass fixtures and maybe if chrome is in the budget we could head that way. Then I got a call from el Instructor from the barn. Turns out he has this friend who is selling T'HE HORSE and it is THE HORSE for me at a mere $3500! Mind you, we were still in the midst of the cabinet summit. How was I to concentrate on *upgrades* when I now have to save $3500?? LOL Gawd, I hate this house-building. After the summit, D was exclaiming how cool this whole thing is. I said something stupid like, "Well, it is good we are doing this since it is something you have always wanted to do." (As in, I am super-wife and you should thank your lucky stars I keep quiet about half of the things I think about this whole project, not to mention having to live in the Motel 6 for ten months.) I immediately had to backpeddle because he came back with a "Walktrotcanter, this is the ONLY way we could EVER have a DECENT place and I hate this as much as you, believe me!" (Ok, can I just say NO WAY.) So, anyhow, I guess I will continue as stablehand and student horse-lunger and volunteer coordinator until all of the kitchen cabinets are installed and the dishes are safely tucked into their new homes. Wonder what's for dinner?

Is it a holy day?

As I mentioned previously, I am involved with a volunteer group that offers riding lessons to people with disabilities. I got involved about 2 years ago and ok, I'll admit I only got involved with the program because I wanted to be around horses and learn about them in addition to my weekly lessons. I found I kind of enjoyed the classes and students once I got started. (go figure.) To make a long story short, I was elected to the board of directors and became the Volunteer Coordinator last year. I think the were desperate in asking me; however, I accepted and stepped into the landmine.

This whole winter I have worked with a little task force I rounded-up to revamp the training and, actually the whole volunteer scene. It was really a mess. People would just show up whenever they felt like it, call off when they felt like it, and had no sense that they were around horses and just because they are therapy horses doesn't mean they are never going to act wacky as horses often do! So, here we are getting ready for a new summer of classes and we are getting finalized on the whole *new* volunteer program...it is going to be really good but, as usual I have my destructive doubts in myself. Does this ever go away??? I am, to be honest, dreading the whole thing since we will be moving in the midst of the class sessions and with the whole new house, moving, etc. I will surely need more cocktails than usual...let's just put it that way, OK?

Like the first blossom of Spring, I put out the email today to announce when the first training session will be. I tried to sound all upbeat and *cheery* so everyone gets all *excited* about the New Program!! YEAH. I got one response where the *volunteer* told me her entire work schedule and how difficult it would be to make it to the training but could she please come and ride horses? Another explained to me how it is *the sabbath* and could we have an additional training session at a different time. Now, how could volunteering for a riding therapy program be something so heathen and horrid that a person couldn't possibly go to the training to LEARN how to HELP OTHERS on the sabbath? I had to close the email and deal with it tomorrow. WTF? Sorry, but this is making me nuts. ...I wonder if they do cocktails on *the sabbath*???

Paper or Plastic?

I guess the Christmas season is officially over. This afternoon I was heading over to the *laundry building* to "do a couple a loads" (laundry speak for hogging all of the washers and getting every item of clothing washed simultaneously) and I happened to glance over to the neighbor's porch. Well, do you remember Mr. Snowman and Santa, the 8' inflated decorations that kept deflating? Much to my surprise, the completely deflated Mr. Snowman and Santa were stuffed in to a grocery bag! I kind of wonder if they just finally crawled into the bags because of their constant delfation or if the mean nonchristmas people put them there because they figured they spent a fortune on some lamoid decorations that would not stay inflated even tho they kept the generator plugged-in with the *thru-the-door*extension-cord*. As a sidenote, there is a townhouse here in the motel 6 that still has candy cane decorations in the *yard*. Today one of the poodles peed on one of the candy canes. Remember, don't eat yellow snow and don't eat yellow candy canes. Is it Spring yet?

My New Job

Yesterday after work I had my first day of *Lunging* horses at the pishy poshy barn where I take riding lessons. In exchane for free riding time (so so cool!), I am going to exercise some of the horses. I am pleased to report it was, for the most part, a success! YEAH! Let's review...
1) I did not go into my usual terror panic attack when El Instructor said, "Ok, go get OZ and you can start grooming him" OZ is about 8 feet high and is only 5 years old so he is just a baby. I am not used to babies nor am I tall enough to even reach his back.
2) I spent probably 45 mins talking with OZ, actually convincing him that I would pay him big dollars to behave so I didn't look like a complete idiot. He took the bribe.
3) I had the best time running about like a fool trying to lunge for the first time, a 5-year old (OZ) in the humongous indoor arena
4) Am thinking I should become a horse trainer for a living
5) Am kidding re #4.
6) I am going again tomorrow for day 2 on the job...I am kind of scared I won't remember how to do everything.
7) I'll probably do just fine but I am way too hard on myself when it comes to my equine knowledge and performance
8) I am afraid I need to back out of some of the volunteer work I do with a riding therapy program so I can do this lunging/free riding thing. But I got into the riding therapy thing to be around horses more so I could learn and feel comfy around them...problem is, I ended up being sucked in and am now in charge of the volunteer program. Thus I am quite committed at the moment despite the fact that I don't get to spent much time around the horses. I am such a sucker...I just can't say no. H says I have to remember why I got into it in the first place and just do my horse thing. I simply hate to have people pissed off at me. Such a quandry.
9) Gave the poodles baths again tonight...they are all soft and sweet and fragrant. I love them. Ya, so I really wanted labs but H doesn't like big dogs so we have poodles that I am training to be labs!
10) I don't even know how to describe how I felt driving home after my *lunging*. Something like a combination of the wonderful smell of an 8 foot horse called OZ, tiredness from running around for an hour, that thrill of knowing I just did something so cool that I have dreamed about since I was like 6 years old and now that I am doing it, I am sure it is exactly what I thought it would be...even tho I am now 40 and how come I had to wait so long :) What a cool feeling :-)

Tumble Dry

I had to go to "the laundry building" this evening...gawd, I miss my washer and dryer! (Poor things are still in storage in the cold...luv u guys!) Tonight's crowd was a mix of women...two of which were kind of...hmmm, how do I say this...kind of trailer trash. I know, hard to believe in the Motel 6. They were short, fat, and barely had teeth. I walked in and kind of smiled all friendly-like and went about my laundry biz. When I looked up from the washer, I saw one of them hang a silky/slinky red sorta sexy thing over one of those wheelie carts...she was letting it hang dry for all to see right there in "the building". ewwwwwwwwww. OK, hi, I am going to hang all my Victoria S stuff right next to the US Magazines...AS IF. Do I need to see her entire sex life in all its red glory while I am waiting for H's boxers to dry.

10 Big News Items!

I consistantly read a couple of other blogs...they are always much more funny and creative than mine. (Heck, I have not even received ONE comment yet...) Anyway, the *trend* the past few weeks on my fave blog sites has been to make these *lists* about oneself. In the spirit of my blogger-idols, here I go...
1) I have the new *wireless laptop*! OK, Gateway made an error and sent me one without a 6-in-1 media card reader so I have been waiting for them to send a replacement. Waiting in the sense that I have already had to email the guru of customer service for Gateway (he calls himself "zee"...last name being *Zimmerman*--sounds like a powerhouse). "Zee" emailed someone named "Star" (am picturing a 20-something with a short lycra miniskirt and chunky shoes) who is supposed to "follow up". Thusfar, "Star" has not contacted me. Am hoping I get some type of freebee for my troubles. Doubt it, tho...this never happens to me.

2) Riding instructor and I are going to discuss setting up something so I work horses for him in exchange for lessons...and maybe RIDING! Woo Hoo! We are to discuss on Friday.

3) I am sick of winter and snow and cold.

4) I will never ever complain about laundry once I have my very own washer and dryer again. Living in the Motel 6 and doing laundry in the *laundry building* have given me a new outlook on the entire process. I live for the day when I don't imagine someone's pubes integrated into my clothing. yuck.

5) For V-tiMes day, I have plans to take my p's to see the Jackie Onassis exhibit at the Field Museum instead of spending the day with H having a sex-a-thon. What is wrong with this picture?

6) I am so hooked on chocolate chip cookies from Mejier's. Don't remind me about the fat content, ok?

7) I am so proud I didn't *lose it* today when I found that H tromped around the apartment with poo on his boots. It was really nasty and I thought one of the poodles had had a train wreck so I didn't give them treats at lunch. I felt horrible when I found out it was H and the poo on his boots that made the humongous mess. BUT, I didn't freak out...TG for meds!

8) Am wondering how I will ever have time to actually think about decorating and furnishing this new house. Would it look really bad if I only decorated the laundry room? In an equestrian theme??? LOL

9) Just gave the poodles baths...they are so sweet and soft. Gosh, I love those 2 little guys :)

10) I really hate right now that my car is filthy. Last night I helped shovel sawdust at the barn so the dust from that really did a number on the car. Truth is I am afraid to vac it because I am scared I will be electrocuted! I need to know if there are GFI's at the carwash. NEUROTIC

Watch out World...

This is a test. I am now, at this time, actually blogging on the new wireless internet laptop! And, it seems to work! Snaps to me! Things like this usually don't get connected so easily. Could it be I am getting to be a computer geek? Maybe I am not 40 and am actually a GenXer...they just got my birthdate wrong. As a note, I am actually teetering precariously between being a GenXer and whatever came before that (80's child??) because, according to one article I read, the line is 1964-65. Being born in December of '64 makes me pretty darn close. At any rate, this pc geek is ready to blog. Regularly.

Blog 2005~

It is so good to be back in the good ol USA again...whew. My Christmas really sucked, to say the least. My evil sister had the family over for Christmas Eve so
H & I were going to my parent's house on Christmas Day. When we phoned to say we were going over, it turned out they were on their way to my brother's house and my evil sister was going to be THERE, too! So, mom and I got into a bit of a tiff and we ended up not going anywhere at all. In fact, we sunk to the lowest of lows by doing laundry. No wonder I hate the holidays.

We left for Ireland on the 26th and didn't get home until this past Monday. As you can only imagine, it was a bit too much family time for me. It is just too hard for me to be polite and not start my cocktail hour at an early hour for 2 whole weeks. We stayed a week at H's brother's house near Dublin...they have 3 little boys (OMG, the SCREAMING!) and I nearly went mad except that I talked H into buying a bottle of wine every evening. My sister in law is one of those La Leche (sp?) women so she is into the whole "kids need to be breastfed until they go to college" mindset. Having a kid walk up to mommy and ask to please have a drink kind of gets me wierded out. I know it's natural and all...but do I have to be there to see it???

The second week we went to the west coast to attend H's father's anniversary mass. Much to my surprise, all of the kids and breasts came too! So, not much peace and quiet in the west of Ireland, I'm afraid. I was about a nut case by the time we were back in Dublin and getting on the plane. The weather was pretty bad (gale force winds/flooding/snow/rain) so I couldn't even escape for a walk. As well, H got the flu so he was in no shape to 1) go to the pub or 2) listen to my bitching. I think my plastic smile is nearly wiped off now that I am home and able to scream the f word when I feel like it. Let's just say the whole holiday season basically sucked. I didn't even get any good presents. No MP3 player, no horse stuff, (no horse period! LOL), no clothes. H gave me 2 maglights, a book (a good book, but nonetheless...!), 2 calendars (one for work and one for home), and some Bath & Body Works stuff. I know, I am an ungrateful bitch. I just thought MAYBE there MIGHT be a chance for an MP3 player despite the housebuilding. Oh ya, my parents gave me a picture of THEM! LMAO...I think it is so funny since we had the big tiff on Christmas Day. I get a huge kick out of stuff like that..wierd, eh? It is a good pic of them, professional and all, but ummmmmhi? Sometimes I think the people closest to me (H, parents, etc.) don't really know me at all. How could I get NO horse stuff at all???

BTW, I really want to blog more...I like it! I was having a difficult time keeping up b/c I had to do it at work since my home pc is still in the flintstone age. WELL, guess who just bought for herself with her Christmas bonus a new fancy schmancy laptop with wireless internet for home use??? It just arrived yesterday so I should be online and blissfully blogging very soon. YEAH! Hey, I figure I made it thru the in-lawfest AND didn't get any good/fun presents for Christmas so why not. I may even figure out a way to buy an MP3 player for the gym, too. I am def. mid-lifing. Next will probably be a Corvette.

Hmmm...I must find a better blog schedule. I guess I don't exactly have a big audience so I can be absent if I want! I got an early present for Christmas! At my riding lesson on Friday (which, by the way, was a fairly sucky lesson but that's ok) El Riding Instructor asked if I might be interested in working out a deal for me to lunge horses and get an extra lesson every week! I know, I will actually be doing someone else's work, but it is such a great chance to get more XPerience and at a low cost! Except if I get kicked or dragged-about the arena, that is. I am absolutely thrilled. I told him we could chat about it once I am back from my holiday of horror at the in-laws. NOW, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel YEAH!