What a Pain in the ....

Sometimes I am dumb enough to think I have it rough. Poor me, stuck at home with three boys! Poor me, my car is making a weird noise. Poor me, I have to cook dinner tonight! I'm 10 lbs. overweight! Those are my versions of "a bad day."

Now let's cut to some folks who are truly having a bad day. And, this bad day is going to go on for MONTHS. New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport and others. I can't even imagine what some of those people's lives are like right now. I watch them on the news, walking around through waist high water, holding a plastic bin or bag. That bin or bag is holding what they have left in their life! What could I put in a plastic bag that could represent my life?? My bag would have to have a toothbrush and toothpaste, lip gloss (cuz I'm addicted), clean underwear, mascara (I'm scary without it) and probably a really big bottle of vodka so that I could forget all the other stuff that I can't fit in my bag!

What's in your bag?

The Price of Gas

I need to get something straight. Contrary to popular belief in my extended family, just because my hubby is affiliated with the oil and gas business, does not mean we make any more money based on the price of gas. When the price goes up at the pump I do not see a change in the paycheck. Believe me, if that was true I would be standing out topless in front of gas stations waving people in! And, just in case you were wondering, I do not get a discount either. I pay the same price you do.

I don't complain about the price of gas. I did turn in my yacht (Suburban) for a more economical vehicle. I do know that here in the U.S. we have been very lucky for very long. In Europe they have been paying these prices for years. Go see the cars over there. I could have picked up this one called a Smart Car with one hand and stuck it in the back of my Suburban. It looks like a toy but thats what they drive. Hey, no wonder that car gets such good gas mileage---you don't drive it, just carry it around.

I also do not obsess about the price per gallon at every station. My grandpa did that. The minute he got to our house after making the 600 mile drive, he would then precede to tell us what he paid per gallon at every gas station he stopped at. That was 20 years ago. He must be rolling in his grave now!

Katrina And The Waves

"This is Matt Mullett and I am as close to Hurricane Katrina as I can get. We are waiting for the news reports of people dying and hoping to get some great footage of stuff blowing around, so keep watching as I put myself in harm's way to get the video!!!"

Last night there was a guy getting blown around on the beach yelling into his microphone, "That people need to take this one seriously and LEAVE." Everyone but him.

I can't stand the way news people simply salivate when a "weather event" such as this occurs. They try to put on their serious face. But you can see the anticipation right behind it. They already sound dissappointed in Katrina because she went down to a Category 4 right before she made landfall. And, why does every single station need to send someone right to where the action is? What happened to "national" news that would report it and the locals reported their local part of it?? I've seen the flocks of news people, vehicles and satellites at an "event" before and its crazy? How many people does it take to tell one story?

I feel bad for all the people having to leave their homes. What do you bring? Dogs, photo albums, precious family heirlooms? How do you get everything valuable into your car?? Then there is all your kids stuff? We would have to bring all 6 buckets of legos in our car. Oh, and a new really cool Flip skateboard. And, when was the last time we backed up our computers? Even when I pack for a weekend trip I "pare" down to only 1 large suitcase and a carry on. I would still be packing as the "event" happened. I would probably have to go down with the ship.

That's How I Roll...

I hate the beginning of the school year when my kids come home with textbooks and expect me to have an unlimited supply of large brown paper shopping bags to use to cover their books. First of all, someone once told me that roaches lay their eggs in those bags so don't keep them in the house. Even if thats not true, its a picture I can't get out of my head (and where I live the roaches can be saddle broke!) so I can't have brown paper bags in my house (or anywhere else for that matter) !!!

Then, once we do find an adequate bag/paper (because there is a grade for this!) I have to try and remember how to properly fold it to work. Sounds easy but it ain't for me. I totally forget from year to year just how it goes.

I am haunted by the fact that one year in a fit of blondeness I used strapping tape and taped the paper to the book -- teacher was not thrilled with me. I don't think I got an A that day. My son was embarrassed that I had "messed" the book up.

Here's the thing that really pisses me off. I bought like a case of those stretchy book socks that in almost one easy motion, Wha-La! the book is covered! Nooooooo, can't use those. The teachers claim they don't protect the book. So, now I have a life time supply of book socks that are gathering dust. Ebay, here I come!

Last night after wrapping a math book, even I was embarassed by my shoddy folds and non-tight fit. After I put the roach infested brown paper bag on the book, I also covered it with a bright purple book sock - Grade that, teach! Cuz that's how I roll!!

This is Reality?

I have been reading posts on other blogs lately about reality t.v. shows. A subject near and dear to my heart! Okay, I love them. All of the Animal Planet shows are reality t.v. even the totally stupid "Funniest Animals on the Planet!"

I love the OTHER reality t.v. shows.....Extreme Makeover (planning my own surgeries everytime I watch), Tommy Lee Goes to College (Tommy was wearing a SPEEDO the other night - yes, I was looking to see if "the bulge" was as big as I have heard!), The Bachelor (nothing real on the show, but), The Girls Next Door (Playboy Hefner and his harem of girlfriends - NOTHING real here either) and thats just to name a few.

How can Tommy Lee Goes to College even bill itself as a reality show? He doesn't even get a grade - he is only auditing the classes. Plus the entire Nebraska campus kisses his ass. Although there is something about Tommy that grows on you after a while. He is a fine looking man - kinda skinny but cute. I am just so glad he made the drumline for the big game....I was biting my nails over that controversy.

And Hefner and his posse? Those girls better be kissing his ass and everything else! They have an amazing life! Days at the salon, nights out on the town, a butler to fulfill their every whim and they get to keep every stray dog they have ever happened upon. Each girl owns like 20 chihuahuas! They all claim to love Hef more than life itself!! Yeah, right - I loved my grandpa too.

Things that Make Me Sad...

This could be an endless list but I will only list the things that have made me sad today....

1.My oldest son moved out this weekend to go to college. His moving out made me sad but he called today after his first round of classes and he was totally pumped. That cancelled out the sadness. Kind of. At first, I thought he was calling just to tell me how his morning was. I should have known. You would think I would wise up by now but I am endlessly stupid. No, he called because his phone is messing up and he wanted me to contact the phone place and get it replaced!!

2.My house was a mess. Really. Three dogs and three boys - do the mess math! Then I had a new housekeeper arrive today and now like magic, my house is clean. I have already emailed the hubby that no one is allowed to come home now and ruin my perfectly clean house!

3.Mexican men waiting on the corner for a job. I have to drive by a whole mess of them every day as I take the youngest to school. Sometimes in the afternoon, there are still men waiting there, still hoping to get work and make some money. That is really sad. They never even have a drink with them or a nice little lunch bag. How do you wait and wonder all day if you are going to get some horrible grunt job of cleaning out someone's flowerbed or painting someone's house??? My other question is how does the street corner get established? I know the neighborhoods and businesses can't be too thrilled to have these hordes (there are 35-50 in the mornings!) of Mexicans on their front doors.

4.My last sad thing is ---I haven't had a shower yet today. I am determined to work out but of course, find every reason in the world not too....like, its too hot now.

Crazy for Animal Planet

I watch Animal Planet and am not afraid to admit it. Yes, I love "That's My Baby!", Animal Vet and especially Animal Cops! My two younger boys and I have totally gotten into Animal Cops. What's great about this show is they don't blur out the faces of the animals getting rescued unlike its sister show, Cops --Whatcha Gonna Do, When They Come For You!! My kids and I talk to the t.v. telling those awesome SPCA folks to "Arrest 'Em!!"

I worked for a vet all through high school. I loved that job. Probably the only job I have ever truly loved. I was there 3 years and then I even worked for another vet for two more years. Everyday was different and somewhat exciting and hey, I got to play with the doggies and
kitties all day long. I also grew up with lots of dogs and cats and horses. Yes, I rode horses all growing up. I showed them (English and Western) on the weekends and we even jumped into the world of horse racing for a few years. I was very lucky that my dad was totally into horses because then I was able to be totally into horses. What girl doesn't go through a horse phase? I was lucky enough to be able to indulge mine.

Well, on Animal Cops it just breaks our heart night after night to see the cruel things people do to animals. What's even scarier is that these people probably have children too! I have three dogs right now. Kipper is the teensy tiny black one (Chihuahua & Westhighland Terrier mix) and Bruno (schnauzer mix) and a Sandy, a Chinese pug who is cute and beige with a black face. Both Kipper and Sandy came from canine rescue agencies. So every night when I watch Animal Cops I feel good that I have done my part and rescued at least two. Of course, my husband tells me that if it wasn't for him I would be a collector and have like 30 dogs and cats. I think he's right.

Our summer vacation trip to Europe. Me and the hubs with our just graduated seniors standing on a bridge across from an honest-to-goodness castle! 

Swore I'd Never

I'm a little late to blogging. And, I swore I'd never do it. Geez, its not like I am not busy enough BUT I will do just about anything to get out of doing laundry, dishes and all the other crap that seems to define my life these days.

There are a lot of things I swore I would never do and have gone ahead....let's see, have children. There's a big one! I didn't even like kids when I was growing up. Worked at a vet, cleaning up dog shit, rather than baby-sit to make a little spending money. I didn't just have one either - no, no. I had 3. Three BOYS! Which is why I am now crazy. Really.

Of course, I love my children! And, of course, I am soooo glad that I did have them (obviously today was a good day) but really, this is not the life I thought I would have when I "grew up." I was going to be in the publishing world, living in New York City, famous for something and definately childless. The answers to life can all be found in a country song and this one would be, the world according to Garth, "Thank God for Unanswered Prayers."