*Big DumpTruck*

I Haven't An Original Thought In My Head

Apparently we weren't the only ones who thought it would be a good idea to take a trip to the beach yesterday. The beach was PACKED and the parking lots were jammed with people all up and down the Hampton strip. It was so weird to see people on one side of the road, and then all the boarded-up shops and restaurants on the other. There was ONE store and ONE food shack (a fried dough) place open.

In general, it was an older crowd on the beach, given that it's not bikini season quite yet. We dug in the sand, walked on the rocks, got the hem of our pants wet...just perfect. There were dogs playing in the surf, having balls thrown, people running, walking, and a few people flying kites.

We saw a very cool kite, everyone commented on it. Well today Junior and I ended up at BJ's, and wouldn't you know it, there was the kite, and it was only $9.99! I'm a kite freak, I love flying them. I've mentioned that here before (I'll have to do a search) so we bought three different ones. Today we went up to the middle school with the kites and Junior's razor scooter, and he practiced his balancing and breaking, etc., while we put one of the kites together. It's very cool, but amazingly, not windy enough to get the kite going. We're going to head back up again next weekend, if it's nice, when the step-kids are here. I'll take pictures if we have success.

I've got to tell you, having two days of outside time was REALLY good for me. I was getting sucked into some depression, and I think part of it was just how nasty cold this winter has been. You couldn't go outside for much of it because of the wind chill...so we didn't even do normal winter stuff. I get very excited when spring starts to roll around, and days like this are exactly what I'm talking about. I wish tomorrow wasn't a "go back to the routine" day.

Pee Before You Go

On a road trip to the beach. Cause it's summer as far as I'm concerned. Is there any chance that Brown's is open? I guess we'll find out when we get there...

Who Was Doing What?

I am trying to find out more details, but apparently the Leominster police department recently arrested Robert F. Kennedy III (yes, those Kennedys - grandson of RFK) for, um, peeing in public.

How on earth did I miss THIS piece of news until now??!! And where on earth WAS he at the time?

Okay, just found the story in the local paper's archives.

Ooh, he was on North Main Street! Now I just wonder where on North Main? I'm gonna stick out my neck and say...somewhere near Mason's bowling alley. I wonder if they'll give more specific info when the police log is eventually published?

Dump at the Movies

Okay, not so much "at" the movies, cause it's a DVD we bought and watched last night.

Spy Kids 3D: Game Over

And yes, we watched the 3D version. I don't think it works as well on television as it does in a movie theater, but when you buy the movie they give you 4 pair of 3D glasses, and two DVDs - one in 3D, one in 2D. I think Junior was sufficiently satisfied with the one viewing in 3D to allow us to never watch it that way again.

Unless I want to see that little face wearing 3D glasses cause man, he was too cute! I just wanted to hug him to death! But I didn't.

The movie was good, great for kids, watchable for adults. Of course, Antonio Bandaras and Carla Gugino only make a walk-on appearance at the end, so there isn't as much in this one for the adults to enjoy.

Junior loves video games, so he understood all the concepts of losing health, bonus points, etc. Cool robot-like things = big bonus for him.

Sly Stallone was fantastic in this role. I rolled my eyes when I first heard he was in it but I'll be darned if he didn't make it all work, and come off as a menacing without being TOO scary, while still having a slight edge of humor that didn't make him goofy.

Now that I've seen all three, I think the 2nd one is still the best overall, even though my heart belongs to Alan Cummings as the bad guy in the first movie, where he just blew me away. Luckily, everyone from 1 and 2 makes at least a small appearance in this one, so we got to see him.

Okay, so this was a kind of stupid review, but if you're shopping for a six year old boy, I can give you my word that it gets a thumbs-up.

What we couldn't find in the store, by the way, was a "bow-tie" movie. Junior insisted we had to buy the bow-tie movie that he had watched at daycare that afternoon. I had no idea what he was talking about, until he showed me the things they had practiced from the tape.
"Honey, you mean TaeBo, not bow-tie."

Hey, maybe he and I will start an exercise program! Or maybe he can start one and I'll just watch!

Not Sure of the Connection

Looks like Tony Pierce was having a bad day yesterday. Crisis of faith time. And at the end of the post, he linked to three sites, one of them mine. I'm never quite sure what the connection to what he writes and what he links to is, but geez, I hope I'm not one of the sell-outs he mentions. I don't carry a briefcase, Tony. However, work does block his site, which is why I'm sending my response via my own site. Oh, and the fact that this place blocks it might be a warning to you wherever you work. I don't usually find his site unsafe for work, but something obviously set off the warning buzzers and the red siren light that someone thoughtfully picked up at Radio Shack.

(Wow, that's two Radio Shack references this week. I'd better clear off a space on my forehead for that "loser" tattoo.)

So if someone knows how to break the "links at the bottom of the post" code, I'd be might obliged. Unless it's a bad thing. Then just feign ignorance.

Beach Weather

I'm ready to go to the beach. I realize it's February in Massachusetts, but the weather has inched into the 40's neighborhood for the past few days, and should hit mid-to-high 40s on the weekend. That's beach weather, after this past winter.

I just want to go because it's been too long since I've seen the ocean. My work schedule this past summer really screwed us up, and the one time we had the day at the beach was early in June and it was too miserable out to swim. It didn't stop Junior from getting wet "accidentally" but it wasn't a fun body-surfing kind of day.

Of course, compared to say, today, it certainly was. If I do make it to the beach, you'll be the first to know.

Who Wants to Be King of the World

Last night we finally got through the "Who Wants to Be King of the Jungle" game on the Lion King 1.5 DVD (cute cute movie, few extras, but they're good ones) and Junior decided we needed to play "Who Wants to be King of the World". I said "James Cameron" but he didn't get the reference.

Like the game on the DVD, each level was represented by a family member (the DVD uses the food chain). The funny thing is that each levels question had to do with that person. For example, the sister level had to do with something my step-daughter did, the uncle level question was "What does Uncle Bob say when he sees me". The answer, as everyone should know, is always "Hello Nephew Spike". The Grandpa level, the top level, had the best possible answers.

What does grandpa do when he sees me?
a) Say "what are you doing here?"
b) Say "why are you eating my grapes?"
c) Say "why are you eating my macaroni?"
d) Give me a big hug and a kiss

The answer was e) all of the above, but I had to laugh, my dad ALWAYS asks why Junior is eating his grapes. As if my mom doesn't buy them specifically because Junior loves them.

So in case you were keeping score, *I* am the king of the world.

Bribery

If I give you a dollar, could you make this be Wednesday instead of Tuesday? Thanks, you're a pal.

I'll give you a second dollar if you make the headache go away, preferably by giving me a full body massage in a dark room with soft music playing. On the up-and-up, please. I'm not that kind of girl.

Ranty bit: Dear President Bush - leave the damned Constitution alone! Don't you have other, more important things to worry about? Like maybe more highway department money so they can build a special lane on every highway for the stupid people to drive on? But to steal an appropriate term from Scott Adams, we won't tell these Induhviduals that it's the real reason they get the special pass for that lane. *wink*

Came very close to witnessing a horrid accident in the Water Tower Plaza parking lot last night. Junior and I had made an emergency run to B&N to get a copy of a Captain Underpants book (don't ask) and while I patiently stopped and looked in all directions even though I had the right of way, this 'swipe in a minivan comes FLYING out of a row of parking spaces into the middle of the main thoroughfare through the lot. (i.e. he came out of a side-street and just never stopped to see if anyone was coming). There were vehicles going in both directions that had to screech to a stop to avoid hitting him (I say "him" but I'm guessing)...I'd say with less than a foot between him and EITHER of the other cars. He was seriously close to causing a 3-car accident. And yet, he never slowed down, probably flipped the other two drivers off, and continued to FLY through the parking lot, across rows of empty spots (you know, the way you aren't supposed to because people aren't expecting you) at, oh, 35-40mph. I know he took two years off my life and I wasn't even one of the other cars. Grrr.

I Can Hardly Control Myself!

Why yes, I did just press the Order button over at Amazon. My God, all 17 H.R. Pufnstuf episodes are out on DVD for the bargain price of $29! What the hell are you waiting for?

Not Quite Beer at Work

The cafeteria served Beef Stew in Guiness with root vegetables today. Hooo boy, that was good eatin. I'm not a fan of Guiness, or I'd have said "The only thing that would have made it better is if it was "Beef Stew WITH Guiness." But don't think that's on the list of corporate-friendly menu items. I would have stayed and made that little joke, but there were quite a few people in line behind me for that entree. I'm guess the Mac and Cheese consumption is going to be quite low today.

I also learned that a dinner roll is included in your entree price, but if you pick pita bread instead, they have to weigh it. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that, except maybe they made the rolls right there, so the cost is significantly lower than them buying the pita bread from a distributor.

Ya, I know, this is riveting stuff.

No, I didn't watch the last episode of Sex in the City. When I got laid off in 2002 I cancelled HBO. So feel free to talk about it around me, I won't yell at you and tell you I didn't watch it yet.

I'm Old

It's a sad day when you have to turn to the Internet to figure out the rules for playing checkers.

More Junior Stories

My son is apparently the greatest source of amusement my sister has in her life. Quite recently she had to walk away from us because she was laughing so hard she had to go to the bathroom. That was at the mall, where the three kids were picking out clothes for their new stuffed pals at Pawsandclaws or whatever that make-your-own bear place is. Junior had a monkey. His first outfit of choice? A tuxedo (which is funny - a monkey in a monkey suit, but I don't think he knows any formalwear jokes so it probably wasn't for that reason). When I nixed that, he went for blue silk pajamas. I forced a pair of jeans and a fleece vest on the monkey for day wear, and told Junior to get some shoes for him. He came back with brown loafers. I think that's the point where my sister had to walk away. In the meantime, my niece was putting a J-Lo velour track suit on her kitty, and my nephew a camouflage outfit on a lion. I've got the kid picking out silk pjs and loafers. (Which we eventually swapped for sneakers.)

He's a good kid, brilliant, loving, sweet, friendly, funny, smart (really!)...and yet...last night at her house he came out of her bathroom holding his ear, because he'd hit it on her toilet paper holder. Both my sister and I had the shoulder-shaking silent laughter going on. I actually had to make him show me how he did it, because there was no way on earth I could imagine how a male, standing to pee, could hit his ear on the toilet paper holder. (It involved peeking around the shower curtain to look in her tub, apparently.)

He also has a tendency to remove articles of clothing (what kid doesn't?) but then he swings the item in his hand. It makes him look like a stripper. He did that in her kitchen last night, for no apparently reason, and while she tried to control a giggle fit, I could only say "If you're going to be a stripper, just make sure you're the best stripper you can be! I just want you to be happy!" in my best "mom" tone of voice. Which made her laugh harder.

I don't really want him to be a stripper, by the way. I've got at least 12 years to get him interested in something else.

Another Ice Cream Truck

My Matchbox/Hotwheels ice cream truck collection just doubled in size...to 2. You're probably saying to yourself, "Hey, why didn't I know that Jody had an ice cream truck collection?" and the answer would be "because I never mentioned it."

I don't mention it because I don't want the world inundating me with ice cream truck-related crap...I only bought the first one because of the Open Letter I wrote the the ice cream man. When a reporter from some Midwestern state actually contacted me for an interview about the article (!) I thought maybe it was my claim to fame. Or something.

So now I have two, because I bought one on Monday. It's actually pretty creepy. I don't know if kids would buy this one. It's lime green with a big clown jack-in-the-box painted on the side, and a sign on the top says "Treats for Creeps." Uh, okay. It also says "I scream" on the side. Ya, I'd buy something from THAT guy.

My original truck is cool because the door slides open and closed, and when you open it, the little man appears in the window to take your order. Now that's a cool detail.

So please, do not send me more ice cream trucks. I wouldn't want to have to rent space to house the collection.

Now We Are Six

Me: So you've just given up. You're never going to even try to wipe you're own butt? When you are forty, I'll be seventy-three. You're not going to want that.

Him: When I'm a grown-up, like a grandpa, there won't be anyone to wipe my bum.

Me: No.

Him: So I'll have to sit on the toilet the rest of my life until I die.

Nothing to See Here

I am just flat out of funny. I've got nothing to say. Well, I have lots to say, and it would get me the Nobel Prize of Mundane-ity. You just don't want to have to deal with that. If you do, you're in a worse place than I am, really.

So I'll just tell you what I'm having for dinner tonight. I went to Bob's Turkey Farm in Lancaster with my parents the other day, and I picked up these little flash-frozen Thanksgiving dinner thingies. I think I decided on that because the chicken pot pie doesn't have any veggies in it, and I didn't want to be responsible for making sure I had some on whatever day I decided to make it. I mean, I have veggies, but sometimes only canned stuff, if I haven't gotten to the store. (Not that I feel the need to explain this to all you vegans who just paled and removed my site from your list of bookmarks.)

Anyway, when you go into their store, it smells like Thanksgiving! What a way to get you to spend all your money on turkey products!

Things I Forgot to Mention

I meant to post over the weekend but got all distracted by my efforts to stay away from the computer. So here are the things I meant to tell you but forgot.

1) Tax refund! I've known my accountant since he married a childhood friend of mine. He's very cool, and does a very quick and thorough job. I'm a happy girl.

2) I found the most scentless unscented lotion ever. EVER. I am a freak about needing things to be unscented. Scents give me a sinus headache I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, so I'm the kind of person who can't really use hairspray, scented lotions and potions, and God forbid, perfume. This is a Jergens product in a tube (the only flaw so far, because you have to close the lid to put it down every time you squeeze a little out. But it's so unscented that I put some on only one hand, and then made Mr. Dump close his eyes and try to guess which hand had the lotion, and he couldn't tell. I mean, a minute after I applied it.

Okay, to make it easy for you, I found it on the web. Jergens Ultra Healing Intense Moisture Therapy. No scent! And according to Google, ABCNews.com rated it as one of the two lotions that softened skin best. I am SO excited to have found this stuff. I'm throwing everything else out.

Back the the Grind

I could use another 3 or 4 days off, but I couldn't go without being paid. Stinks, really. I have great hope of someday having another full-time job with benefits, paid holidays and vacation time. I've been working since June without a vacation, and I'm starting to feel it.

I'd insert a *sigh* here but I'm kind of busy and don't have time.

We got the Lion King 1.5 this weekend, and it was great. I am SO glad someone told me that it was a whole different take on The Lion King minus the whole "Dad was killed by his brother" thing. I have never been a big fan of the original just because it was so dark that way.

This one is great, funny, and I love the songs. Two thumbs up.

Made *me* Laugh

I'sung crunchy praises before, but this is some A+ stuff. I like the funny, you know? But it is a bit liberal, so heads up.

Mr. Crunchy

Dropping Like a Stone

Boy, a twenty-five degree temperature drop. Just what I like on a weekend. I'm wearing three layers today; for some reason I just can't get warm. I'd say it was my thyroid going out of whack but I just had my bloodwork done and my meds adjusted a couple of weeks ago. Granted, my Endo, Dr. Blanchard, says that if you go too far the other way with the meds you'll become symptomatic again, so you can never assume you just need more of whatever medication you're on.

Nobody else is cold, but that doesn't surprise me. I'm surrounded by males who run waaaay hotter than I do. Luckily a week or two ago I hit a clearance sale at Filenes and got one of those things that are sort of like a shawl - like a hugely wide scarf. I can wear that and get a little extra warm on the top part of me, where I need it.

It's so sunny out though, it's deceiving. I hate to be fooled.

Freakish Snack Product Review

Now how could I ignore the bag in the vending machine that said "T.G.I. Friday's Mozzarella Snack Sticks (Original Flavor?)

I mean, the picture implies cheese, and I'm wondering what they did to get cheese in the bag.

Gah. God bless the artificial flavor industry, but this is just too odd for words. They're like Cheese Doodles, but instead of orange, they're made to look like deep friend mozzarella. And the cheese flavor mimics some kind of real cheese. But every bite made me feel just that much close to death. I'm going to have to give them a B-, which is for interesting look and feel, and some kind of addictive component, but just nothing I'd buy again unless I was feeling low in the salt and powdered cheese department.

Ruining my Streak

Aw man, I didn't get a single virus message for almost 24 hours and someone just blew it for me.

People, one last time...DON'T OPEN ATTACHMENTS!

puppies and kitties and butterflies

Because I offended some readers by posting an atypical rant yesterday, I will give you only happy thoughts today.

Knock knock
Who's there
Atch
Atch who?
Bless you!

Small, er, Medium Rant

So I'm reading yet another National Guard article. I am interested in this because it just screams cover-up. I would just like the White House to be HONEST with me, a piddley little tax-paying registered voter, thank you very much. If there is nothing to hide, then show it all. Everything people are asking for. Who is Bush, John Lennon or Harry Nilsson, having a lost weekend, er, five months?

This quote from a story from USA Today burns my butt:
"On Wednesday, McClellan said those seeking additional details on Bush's records are "trolling for trash for political gain," and engaging in "gutter politics.""

Dude, we are not. I have no political gain to make from this. For God's sake, if he screwed up and didn't do something he was supposed to, he should admit it. Dismissing the questions the people of the United States have about this is bullcrap. Does anyone but me remember the effort to impeach Clinton for lying? I mean, seriously, what is the difference?

I can appreciate that people love Bush, and think he deserves to be in office. But I wouldn't let my six year old get away with making claims that he couldn't back up. If I suspected he wasn't going to school, you don't think I'd want to see attendance records? I should just trust him because he tells me I'm conducting a witch hunt? B.S. I want to see the records, and I don't want them edited for my viewing pleasure. Bushie made it pretty damned easy for the government to look at ANY SINGLE ASPECT OF ANY PART OF MY LIFE with the Patriot act...so why all the hush hush secrecy? You don't think that makes you look guilty?

You: What have you got in your hand?
Kid: Nothing. [puts hands behind back]
You: Show me.
Kid: [Puts out one hand, but leaves the other behind back.]
You: I want to see both hands.
Kid: [Puts that hand behind back and then shows the other.]
You: Oh, okay, I guess you didn't have anything in your hand.
Kid: [under breath] Putz.

Ya, I'm really getting pissed about this.

Scribbling

I have been tickled pink (PINK I TELL YOU!) with Junior the past two days. Every day I see little changes, and see him becoming more his own man. Weird how I thought that would upset me ("My baby is growing up! *sniff*") but it isn't. I think it's cool.

His favorite color is black. I don't know when that happened, or why, or if it will stick, but there you go. Black. If my aunt is reading this *waving* she'll be smiling because her youngest son also loved black. I remember (and I thought this was the coolest thing EVER) when she bought him a whole box of black crayons from Crayola, because he would wear his out and she was tired of buying new boxes of crayons just to get black. How cool a mom is THAT? This was back, oh, maybe early 70s? Not like you can just hop on the internet and do a search.

So anyway, he declared black his favorite and I just have to go with that. Even if I don't want him wearing a black winter coat, you know what? It makes him happy. My friend's daughter's favorite color is orange, and there's just something freaking about a little blond girl wanting everything to be orange (instead of pink or purple) but that's pretty cool too, you know?

So what was I saying? Oh, Junior got it into his head that he'd be Dexter and have a secret lab in the house, so he needed a notebook because in one episode of Dexter's Lab Deedee pressed a button in a book to open the secret portal. I found a blank notebook from my stash of the ones that were popular about 7 or so years ago, and it was black plaid. I must have known.

For two days now, when I've gone to drop him off at the daycare, he's grabbed a chair, sat down with his pencil, and started filling up the notebook with drawings, scribbles etc. There are some buttons to push, and pictures of Mike from Monster's Inc, which he recently realized he could draw.

It's too cool to see your kid totally engrossed by writing in a notebook you bought because you get totally engrossed by writing in a notebook. I don't know if I see author in his future; my nephew, at five and a half, came up with a GREAT plotline the other day, so I can pin my hopes on him, too. My niece is going to be an artist of some sort. She's amazing at three and a half, and I'm not just saying that because she's my wonderful amazing niece - she runs circles around most 6 year olds. Then again, she's smarter than my son and nephew put together, so who the hell knows what she'll end up being. Or any of them.

I can't wait to find out.

Rotating the Stock

My blogroll was getting a bit unwieldy, so I've split it off into sites I read a couple of times a day, on the off chance the owner has thrown a nugget in my direction, and those that I try to read if I notice that they've been updated. The "Where I've been recently" list is blogs that I may add to one of the other lists if I find myself unable to ignore the little "updated" sign when it glows.

If you got moved or removed, don't take it personally...I just can't visit all these sites every day or it will cut into my precious eating and sleeping time. And I love you all, but I have my limits.

What? 4 o'clock?

How did THAT happen? Seriously, where did this day go?

I was going to hit the vending machine up for some chocolate, but peer pressure or guilt or something, made me buy pretzels instead. Now I'm all loaded up on carbs and salt and I still want some candy.

Would I have gone for the M&Ms if I was alone in the building? I don't know. I think I may have *gasp* made the decision to avoid them all on my own. Somehow, in the past couple of months, I've developed the first buds of self-control. Don't know/don't care how, but there it is.

Random Thoughts

Here are some items that aren't developed enough to be their own entries, but I don't want to lose the thoughts. Or something.

* I drove by a house that had an old, broken-down wagon in the front yard as a decoration. It actually made me wonder if homes with a big wooden wagon wheel propped up against the fence realize they are creating the 19th century equivalent of having a Goodyear radial propped up on the front lawn. The big broken wagon? Like having a Subaru Justy up on blocks, dude.

* In the "things I don't want to eat" department, I heard a radio ad this morning proclaiming that my days of commute hunger are over - 7-11 is selling some kind of omelet sandwich. People, if you ever see me buying an omelet at a 7-11, take away my keys, my wallet and anything pointy I may have on my person.

* I'm craving a Greek salad from Demos in Waltham. Big time.

My Corpse Is An Honor Student at Graveyard High

You know, if I had been able to keep my wits about me, and wasn't actually trying to drive at the time, I'd have attempted to put my little tiny crappy camera on the Sidekick and get a photo of this. But of course, that didn't happen. So I'll have to paint you the picture in words.

First of all, I noticed the mini van because it was the same make and model and color as Junior's old daycare provider. So I always notice these purple vans, trying to see if it's her so I can wave.

I glanced down at the license plate, and realized that this van had hearse plates. Hearse plates. I was behind a purple, Plymouth hearse. So many thoughts ran through my head, the first of which was "Man, I would be so pissed if I died and didn't get to ride in the big fancy black one." Oy. Ya, sure, this could be the vehicle they use to get the flowers or whatnot to the Church, or whatever it is they need to do to prepare for a funeral. Or it could be carrying the body from the morgue to the funeral home, I suppose.

Either way, I guess those fold-down seats come in handy. I just want to know, if I buy a used van someday, what EXACTLY it was used for. It didn't occur to me to wonder until the other day.

Sale Cereal

Do I really need a sale to buy Cocoa Pebbles? Well no, I don't. I'm more than willing to buy them if I want them. But a sale on Cocoa Pebbles means we're having cereal for dinner! Well, I'm having cereal for dinner. And some leftover Peking ravioli. (Yea takeout! Thanks Deb!)

Oh, so at Sam's* this morning and our favorite waitress gave Junior a little paper umbrella in his apple juice straw. Jackpot! It's good to start your Sunday with an umbrella drink!

Well, while Junior and Mr. Dump waited for me in the parking lot of Shaws, apparently the umbrella got torn. The solution, per Junior, was to go to the Chinese restaurant! Wow! Nobody ever wants to go to the Chinese restaurant with me! But then the kicker: "Ya, we'll go in and get one and then just leave."

NO! If I'm going to obtain a paper umbrella, it had better be because I'm on the receiving end of a scorpion bowl, baby.

I leave you with the lyrics to a song Dave wrote on Dave the Barbarian - it's an ode to a cheese danish:
"Cheese and Sugar, Cheese and Sugar, with the texture of a booger."

I like that show. I don't know if it's popular enough for anyone to know what the hell I'm talking about if I tell you that all my shoveling this weekend makes me look like The Can. Heh.

*Sam's is the name Junior gave the place we get breakfast every Sunday morning, back about 3 or so years ago. He thought the owner's name was Sam. It wasn't. Her name was Kim, but to this day if we see her, we call her Sam - I think she finds it VERY amusing. She doesn't even own the place anymore, so if you are looking for a restaurant called Sam's around here, good luck.

Chip and Scrape

Man, that was fun. I am not a big fan of ice, in case anyone was wondering. It's pushing 40 outside, so we were able to scrape up everything eventually. My poor back says "can I have the rest of the week off, ma'am?"

Working From Home

For some reason, Leominster cancelled morning and afternoon kindergarten, but not the rest of the schools. It's NASTY out there. Made a run for gas for the car (didn't think to take the gas can for the snowblower because we were only supposed to get 2-5 inches before it turned to sleet), and some groceries to make Mr. Dump a birthday dinner. We normally all go out for birthday dinners, but I don't think that's going to happen tonight. He can be birthday boy again tomorrow and pick a restaurant.

It's snowing hard and fast out there. By the time I finished shoveling the driveway (I found out we only have half a can of gas and when I used the snowblower the other nice I ran it dry, so I'm conserving what we have left cause I don't feel like making my way to the gas station right now), the part I'd shoveled first already needed shovelling again. I could have stayed out there all day. I finally realized I'd been out long enough when it occurred to me that there was so much snow in my hair (the part sticking out of my hat) that it was frozen solid.)

I'm tired. Anyone want to go get me a coffee?

Pickle Juice on Gay Marriage

Once again, Nat writes something so well it removes my need to even cover the topic. Go over and take a gander at her site so that I get credit for sending you over there in the list in the right column. I want to show her how many Dump Readers you can fit in a pickle jar.

Got Your Supplies?

It's another eggs, bread, milk shopping day. I think those of us out here in the Boston suburbs are due to get it a bit worse. This time around, it's fun with ice! Yay!

I am not going shopping in preparation for this, at least, not grocery shopping. I will be picking up some medication refills, but I need those anyway. And I stopped at Bolton Orchards on the way home and got my banana supply. So if things get really bad, I'll have bananas and Wellbutrin, baby!

Enlightening

Make sure to read the comments Natalie added to the post under this one. She makes some excellent points...but I do wonder how these boys are not suspended from school for this behavior? If nobody punishes this behavior, they may as well be getting the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. "It must be okay, nobody batted an eye."

Enough About Janet's Breastamajiggy

(Okay, that should thwart people searching on Google)

Enough. Women have them, Men have them, but we only get up in arms when a gal is exposed. We're spending more energy on this stupid story than we are about other wayyy more pressing issues.

Unless you have HDTV or a super large TV, it didn't look like much of anything I haven't seen on TV or in magazines before. Lil Kim wears less. Ya, I know that she showed off the actual part that is forbidden, but you couldn't see it in the little flash of skin that was on a regular television.

No, she shouldn't have done it, but I also think we make WAY too big a deal about them in America. I mean, they are there to feed babies. Why are they some mystical thing that cannot be seen? The more "forbidden" you make them, the more focus there is, and the more we get to the point where it's a national crisis when one is spotted in the wild.

Ya, ya, it was on network television. You know, I've been to England and France, where they show them all the time and you know what? It's so common that it's boring. I watched television in a room with teenaged boys, and there were no snarky comments, no little evil "heh heh heh"...nothing.

Why do women have to hide them but men don't, exactly? Why can Janet be fined, but some dorcus who took his shirt off and painted a team logo between his big man-boobs in the stands cannot?

Weather Links?

Anyone out there have a recommendation for the most accurate weather links? I'm fed up.

The weather at Yahoo says I'm getting 1-2 inches but there is already 3-4 out there. And accuweather said the current conditions were "cloudy". Well, sure, but those clouds are dropping snow and freezing rain, which you might want to mention...

The Corners of my Brain

I was thumbing through either People or EW this morning and got to the page with all the births, marriages, deaths, etc. and I saw a name in the obituaries that I recognized. It was for a songwriter who had his own "hit" single, which I own on 45. In fact, the second I saw his name the whole song became today's earworm.

Anyone but me remember "Just When I Needed You Most" by Randy VanWarmer?

You packed in the morning
I stared out the window and I
Struggled for something to say
You left in the rain without closing the door
I didn't stand in your way
Now I need you more than I needed before
And where I'll find comfort, God knows
Cause you left me, just when I needed you most

(I didn't look these up, so they may be slighly off.)

Wow...that's a great song, to lodge so firmly in my head. Thanks for sticking it there, Randy/

Number 1

I didn't go to the big parade for the Pats today. I think it's nice to have one, but I'm saving my parade-attending for when the Sox win the World Series. I know, I know...but I can't help it.

I'm all for anything that keeps people off the roads I need to travel. Why yes, the world does revolve around me! I hear cuts are in store for Amtrak - okay, so cutting trains means more people in cars, which means more money needed to maintain roads, bridges, putting up traffic control devices, dealing with accidents, Etc. Etc. Etc.

Plus, I will be inconvenienced if there are more drivers out there. That would be bad.

Friendship Cards

We had to buy "friendship cards" today for Junior to hand out in Kindergarten on Feb 13th. They really do stress that everyone in the class is your friend, even if you don't particularly feel like playing with someone on that day. It's a nice lesson for them to learn early on...I have no problem with them being taught that it isn't okay to exclude someone. He picked out Justice League cards at CVS this afternoon. Nothing says "I like you" like a Green Lantern Valentine does.

Well, maybe a stay at a 4-star resort comes close.

Okay, beats it hands down.

But hey, it's the thought that counts.

War Effort

I'd like to take a moment to thank Janet Jackson for showing our boys overseas just what it is they're fighting for...

Good Lord!

I can't handle that kind of freaking nailbiter. My blood pressure cannot be measured by traditional equipment at this point.

Winter Games

My goodness, it's hard to entertain the three kids when it's just too danged cold to let then play outside. We tried red light green light and that got a little too out of control so now we're doing "talking red light green light." Talk until we say to stop. I have to tell you, my motormouth beats everyone hands-down, and my strategy is to do me Junior imitation.