Happy New Years Eve

Well, I started getting sad because it's the end of another year.  But then, I remembered all the things that happened in my life this year. Here's some of the biggies:

• Roger and I went to New Orleans
• I moved from Jensen Beach to Port St Lucie
• I bought a car
• Roger and I started living together
• Alex turned 18
• Roger and I went to Peru
• Roger and I went to New York
• Alex graduated from High School and College
• Roger and I went to California
• My Dad had a heart attack
• Alex moved to Tampa
• I resigned from my job of 14 years
• Roger and I got married
• Roger and I went to London and Paris
• Roger and I moved to Jacksonville
• Roger and I started going to church
• Roger and I got married again
• I started a new job

That's quite a bit of activity!  

This time last year, Roger and I were napping in our New Orleans hotel in preparation for our New Years partying.  However, we didn't wake up until 12:02 a.m. when the fireworks started going off.  Oh well!!!

This year, I unexpectedly had to work late, so we decided last minute to stay home and watch movies in bed.  That's more our style now!

Tonight I feel like the queen of the world.  We had a great dinner, and then I bought some thermal underwear, earmuffs, and zebra print flannel P.J.s.  This is the warmest I've been in a month!  Plus, I actually slept all night last night, so I'm hoping for a repeat tonight!

Tomorrow, I guess I'll share my New Years Resolutions.

I hope everyone is happy, healthy, safe and warm.  Many blessings.  Love- Me.

Here's the song of the day:

Waldo Flea Market

Roger and I went to the strangest flea market today.  Here's some pictures.  We wont be returning.  Roger was concerned that if we didn't hold each other's hands, someone might abduct us and BBQ us for dinner.  :)

Sanford and Son's Booth

A Livestock Vendor

A rooster in one of the booths

One of the vendor's pet wolf dog.

The Ugly Truths

Happy Sunday.  Here's the song of the day:

Today, I was thinking about the Ugly Truths.  You know, those things in every one's lives, yes even yours, that no one wants to admit or think about.   Well, mine came haunting this morning.  In an effort to confront them, I am going to list them now, just for your entertainment.  Maybe they will make your Ugly Truths seem more tolerable or not so bad (or not).

Anyway, here they are:

1. I now need bifocals.  The other day I realized that I was lifting up my glasses to see up-close.
2. My son is now an adult and does adult things- some of which I do not approve.
3. Roger and I are getting old.  We grunt a lot and are slow to move in the mornings.  We also get up in the middle of the night to pee now.
4. I am clinically morbidly obese.  I weigh way to much.  It's not healthy, it's not attractive, and I'm embarrassed to look at myself in the mirror.  I have to address my food additions ASAP so Roger and I can lead a long and fun life. 
5. Roger likes to chew on his fingernails after he bites them off.  
6. I found that I sleep better with my arm wedged in my britches.  No, you perv, I don't mean like that- I mean stuck down the side of my pants when I sleep on my side.  I figured out that I'm doing this because there's no comfortable place to stick your top arm when you sleep on your side, especially when you're buxom, and also, it helps keep me warm.  The reason is, if your feet, your wrists/hands or head is warm, this usually regulates the temperature in the rest of your body.  When my hand is in my pantelones, my wrist is against my hip, which is warm.  I know this is weird, but I don't care- it's my Ugly Truth, not yours.
7. My hair is dirty today.  Now that I have bangs, I am constantly brushing them out of my eyes.  Since  I keep putting lotion on my hands for the cold, it makes my bangs greasy if I don't wash them ever day.  I didn't wash my hair today.
8. I don't feel like I fit in very well with 99% of the people I encounter.  I don't feel a connection.

I think that's it for today.  There's also a lot of good, clean, hygienic aspects of my life, but sometimes, life is just gross.  That's the Ugly Truth.

No Sleep For Me

I've only had two full nights if sleep since we moved to our trendy loft apartment, and I think those were the two nights I had to take Xanax..... There's so much noise- people yelling, sirens, trash trucks and street sweepers.
So last night, the rain woke me up first. Then Roger started snoring- loud. He's never really snored until two weeks ago. Now I think it's his mission to out-snore me.  We laugh because for the first six months we dated, I didn't sleep when we visited each other, because I didn't want him to know I snore. That worked out fine, because I was able to catch up on my sleep later. But after we lived together that didn't work. I eventually had to sleep and my secret was out. Roger says I tricked him. :)
Anyway, after that, I thought Alex had turned on the TV in his room to watch a Quinton Tarantino movie, but it turned out the homeless people were congregating in the parking under my window to avoid the rain.  I swear Samuel L Jackson's voice twin was down there. That's ok.
So it looks like I'll be taking an M-O-P today. (When I was little, my grandmother always used to spell things so I wouldn't know what she was saying. That included telling my granddad when it was time for my N-A-P. One day, though, I caught on, and started telling them I didn't want to take an M-O-P! So that's been the family code every since for naps.)
Happy Saturday! It's a good day for ducks.

Whirlwind

The last week has been a whirlwind.  Lots of company has come and gone, including Roger's mother, brother, sister, brother-in-law and nieces, my aunt, uncle and cousin, and my brother and his girlfriend. My son is currently visiting until tomorrow.

In the meantime, we had our church wedding, two Christmases, and I worked.   Tonight, I'm happy to sit home and be still.

I'm making cornish hens au vin, mashed potatoes, and popovers.  Yummy-ness.

I wanted to go see a Tom Petty cover band tonight, but Alex and Roger didn't want to go.  So, instead, we'll watch some movies and play Yahtzee, wake up late, hit the flea market, then have lunch and a matinee before we take Alex to the Greyhound Station for him to head out to his girlfriend's in Tampa.

Roger and I plan to drive somewhere next week for New Years, rent a hotel, and have a fun evening there.  No bars, no people- just us lovebirds.  Mushy mushiness.

Then, Thursday, I take Alex to Orlando for his UCF orientation.  He's finally getting on track (fingers crossed).

I'm posting some pictures from the last few days.  I hope you enjoy!

Does anyone know what rap song says, "This one's for my people, my people?" I can't remember or find it on Google.  Help, please!

Alex, Kyla, Burton, and Roger at Fionn MacCools

View of Jacksonville from the BOA cafe across the street from my work.

Here's the song of the day. I promise next post will be more interesting.

Christmas Part 2

Two funny things happened today.

1) I plopped my four year old nephew, Brock, on Roger's lap.  Roger immediately held his hands up and froze with a look of panic on his face.  "Can you hold him for a minute?", I asked.  "I have to run to the bathroom."  "No," he replied.  "It's against the rules and regulations, section 7."  "Seriously?" I countered?  "How are we supposed to have a child if you won't hold one?"  I walked away.  When I returned, Brock was explaining to Roger how Santa Claus isn't real.  Apparently Spider Man, Super Man and Zombies are real and Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny are not real.  So now you know......

2) I managed to get stuck in the elevator.  We had a boat-load of stuff to carry when we came back from my grandparents.  So, we got in the elevator at home and I set what I was carrying on the floor.  When we arrived at our floor, the doors opened and as Roger was exiting, I turned around to pick up my stuff.  When I turned back around, the doors had closed.  Well, because of our super duper security, you can't do anything in the elevator without a "clicker", and I didn't have one on me, so I couldn't open the doors.  Next thing I know, I'm carried to the second floor, but the doors didn't open. I just sat there for a few minutes. I had to call Roger from my cell phone and tell him I was stuck.  Then, I was taken to the first floor and the doors opened, so I had to get off, because you can't access your floor without the clicker.  So, I had to wait for him to come back down and get me.  Sigh.  I'm really good at getting stuck in stupid situations like that..... As the Peruvians say, jajajajajaja (hahahahaha).

Merry Christmas

Merry Merry Christmas!  May we all find peace in our lives!!

I just watched the Year in News for 2012.  I'm a little miffed because Roger and I got married twice this year, and they didn't put a single picture in the review!

I'm also a little sad.  The majority of the news was sad or tragic.  I hope one year, we can watch the Year in News and it will be nothing but a display of our progress and many great acts- no violence or natural disasters.

And now, I'm counting down the minutes until I can get my husband out the door to go to my grandparents' house.  I treasure Christmases with them so much.  I don't how many more we'll have together.  And instead of being sad when I think about that, I try to think how lucky I am to have such great childhood memories.  There was always a beautiful tree, millions of presents, tons of great food and so much love.  And even though times have changed and my family has evolved into something different, my grandparents will always have a very special place in my heart.

And, Roger and I decided last night, that we now have the opportunity to take our favorite pieces of our respective traditions and turn them into our own.

Feliz Navidad!!!

Take this Turkducken and Stuff It

Why are holidays so stressful?

After having company for a week and trying to Christmas shop without going broke, Christmas Eve finally arrived.  The day before, Roger and I picked up our turkducken.  This is a turkey, stuffed with a chicken, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with jumbalaya.  I half listened as the man explained to Roger how to cook it.

So I got up yesterday and went to work.  I called Roger before I was due to leave, and found out that he was sightseeing and eating out with his family.  I asked if they had picked up the groceries for whatever else we were having for dinner, and they had not.

Fearing that the store would close early for Christmas Eve, I made a mad dash.  One hundred and twenty five dollars later, I came home an put the 19 pound monster bird in the oven and started working on the rest of the meal.  We were scheduled to eat at 8:00.

Around 6:00 I checked the bird, and it looked like there was no progress.  So, I read the directions again.  What I originally read was "cook for four hours at 250 and make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 for 5 minutes."

What it actually said was "cook for four hours at 250, insert the meat thermometer and season bird, then COOK FOR THREE MORE HOURS until the internal temperature reaches 165 for at least five minutes, then let the bird rest for 30 MINUTES!!!!!"  Holy sh**!!!!!  Quick mental calculation- I put the beast in at 3:30, it needed to cook for 7 HOURS and then rest for 30 minutes.........Eleven O'Clock?!!??!   Red bells and sirens started going off in my head.

As damage control, I advised everyone of my mistake right away so we could come up with plan B.  Nope.  They wanted to wait.  And, my husband kept assuring them it would be ready at 9:30.  So, I jacked up the temperature and prayed really hard.

So, at 9:30, I turned around and everyone had found a place at the table.  "Roger!!," I whispered frantically, "IT'S STILL NOT DONE JUST LIKE I SAID IT WOULDN'T BE DONE."  "That's o.k." he says and turns to everyone and says, "It will be ready in fifteen minutes.  We're going to eat salad now."   Doh!!

So in an effort to stall things, I pulled out as many salad makings as I could find.  Three kinds of lettuces, four kinds of bell peppers, tomatoes, cheese, jalapeno chips, croutons, peperocinis, black olives, and a whole bunch of salad dressing choices (so people would have to take time and think about which one they wanted).  Well, that lasted all of 5 minutes, and some of the family didn't even like salad.  So, I brought out the only other dish that was ready the mac and cheese.  That bought me another 3 minutes.

In the end, the bird never reached 165, but it cooked for 7 hours at 100 to 150 degrees higher than the directions.  Everyone liked it but me (and Roger's niece).  It's kind of like boiled peanuts (a story for another day)- I never want to see a turducken again!!!

After dinner, we waited until midnight, put baby Jesus in the nativity, opened the champagne, then opened presents.  I'm happy that Roger's family was able to have their first Christmas with the entire family together.  I hope that's what they remember instead of my lousy dinner.

(Oh, yeah, and in haste to get dinner on the table, I don't even have a picture of the cooked turducken.  Sorry!  Stories are always better with pictures.)

How to Love Your Teenager

After much consideration and multiple personal failed attempts, here's some thoughts on how to love your teenager:

• BE FIRM
• Make sure your teenager knows that you will always be his parent, and therefore will always love him, even when you do not support his decisions or behavior
• Likewise, when you correct any negative action, make sure emphasize that it's the behavior you do not like, not the person. For example, you could say, "When you chose to leave your dishes in the sink, it makes me angry."  Not, "You make me so angry!!"
• Do not stoop to his level.  This is the biggest and most frequent mistake I've made.  I tend to act like a teenager myself when my teenager pushes my buttons.  If he would name call or yell, I would name call or yell.  Rather, the quickest way to diffuse a situation is to be steady, not visibly angry, and speak at a normal voice level.  If he knows you are getting upset, he will continue the undesirable behavior.
• If you cannot maintain control of a situation, it is best to walk away and revisit the situation when you are more calm and composed.  Otherwise it is harder to undo hurtful words or actions that may follow, and you permanently lose parent credibility if you can't keep your cool.
• Pick your battles.  Decide what is ultimately important/critical and what is not.  If your teenager wants to express himself with orange hair- o.k.  It doesn't really hurt him (or you).  If your teenager wants to text and drive- not o.k.  This is potentially fatal.  This is a behavior that needs correction.
• Let your teenager know that you don't expect him to be perfect- that you expect him to make mistakes.  However, you also expect that he will learn from them, not repeat them, and move on.
• Remember that you have a parent/child relationship- you are NOT FRIENDS.  It is NOT a good idea to tell your teenager about mistakes you made when you were young to be cool or to try to be his friend.  This will inevitably be brought up by the teenager later in defense of a similar action on his behalf.  He will try to mitigate one of his behaviors by citing your similar wrongdoing.
• When you want to correct an action BE VERY CLEAR.  Make sure you decisively state 1) the action you do not like, 2) the behavior you expect, and 3) the consequences of the continued action or behavior.  Then, be FIRM.  If you stated there is a consequence for continuing a behavior or action, and the behavior or action continues, you MUST follow through with the consequences CONSISTENTLY.
• Do NOT let your teenager's action affect your relationship with your spouse/partner.  You and your spouse/partner need to privately discuss where you stand in regards to the teenager's behavior or actions and STAND UNITED.  You have hopefully planned to be with your spouse/partner for the rest of your life.  Your teenager should NOT be living with you for the rest of your life.  So, be wise.

As I spoke about in a previous post, please BE CAREFUL about unsolicited advice.  I can only write this because I've "been there and done that."  I often failed as a parent, but I still keep trying to do my best.  And hopefully, if you have a teenager, you will know that you're not alone as you quietly beat your head against the wall.  You have my support!  And one day, our teenagers will grow up and hopefully carry with them a measure of the values and love we try to instill in them.

The End Of My Battery

To celebrate today- you know I had to pick this song!!



Today wasn't the end of the world- it was the end of my car battery.  It was butt cold this morning (40ish) and I needed to drive to work so I could make it to the church on time.  So, I pushed through the cold wind to the parking lot, seated myself in the freezing car, put the keys in the ignition, and nothing happened.  Sigh......  Oh well.  I called Roger and told him he had to take me to work.

So then, I got to work wearing the dress I bought last night and my box of high heels in hand.  When I got to my desk, I switched my flats for the heels I bought on sale.  The low heels were $69 dollars and the super high heels were $29.  No brainer!  Cheaper is better, right?  Well, I put those puppies on and decided to strut over to the copy machine, and realized I couldn't walk.  They were too high.  Now what?  So I switched back to my flats as quickly as I could (picture a fat girl, in an awful blue print dress with super high heels walking like those little Chinese women walk in those shoes meant to bind up their feet.)  I'm sure my new coworkers are already wondering how ridiculous I really am....

So, the time came for me to leave work for our mass, and I see Roger driving around the block, because he's not good at picking which lane he should be in ahead of time (no offense, Honey :)  )  Oh, and did I mention my fat girl dress is made from that lame material that's sort of slinky and thin, and not conducive to freezing cold weather?  So, we were late.  In fact my mother (who is perpetually late) actually beat me to the church!

So, we were having what's called "A Blessing of A Civil Wedding."  I thought this would be a little mass in the chapel where the priest mentioned that we are married, and he wishes us well, and hopes we will walk with God.  Wrong.  There were extra people there, and they made programs with our names on the cover, and the service was in the Cathedral!  Very nice.  There was only two issues:  1) I was required to walk, then kneel, then stand again, then walk again in the above-mentioned high heels, and 2) half the mass was in Spanish, since Roger's mother and brother were there.  We even had vows, and Roger's were in Spanish and mine were in English.  Afterwards, I told Roger that I was a little uncomfortable- since I don't speak Spanish, I didn't know what I just agreed to.  Oh well!  Love is blind, right?

So then, my mother, Alex, my grandparents, Roger's mother and brother, and Roger and I went to Indochine to eat.  It was o.k.  Then my family went home and Roger's family and I headed to St. Augustine.  It was colder there!  So, I suggested that we go to the Potter's wax museum.  Roger's mom likes T.V., so I figured she'd recognized a lot of the figures and I thought it would be warm.  Well, after I paid for the tickets, was saw the whole place in 5 minutes because his mom got scared and his brother was bored.

So, dummy me, suggested we go eat at the Columbia Restaurant.  Well, we had to wait 20 minutes for a table (when there were many empty tables), which already started things off wrong, because Roger's family eats like birds and they weren't even hungry in the first place.  Then, we were seated in this solarium-type room with a monstrous wedding parting and screaming children.  Then, we ordered our food (Tapas items) and waited, and waited, and nothing happened.  After an hour, we asked our server about the status of the food.  She said it would be another 15 minutes.  I guess me giving her the evil eye had no effect on the speed of service, because we then waited another 40 minutes.  There was lots of grumbling going on in Spanish in the meantime.  I don't know what was said, but I don't think I'm going to be allowed to make any suggestions for the rest of their visit, especially since last night I suggested we go to the mall in Orange Park, but there were two accidents so a 20 minute drive turned into an hour and a half.

So, anyway, we paid the twit server in cash and she disappeared.  She returned 15 minutes later with our change.   So, I was forced to put a nasty restaurant review online.

So now we are home, and no one understands that the cold makes my joints hurt, and the fact that we live in a concrete loft on the sixth floor and our windows are open making it freezing cold just makes me want to cocoon up in the bed.

Anyway, I'm going to go now, because I think my fingers are going to break off from being frozen.

Bye for now!  (That always reminds me of my favorite aunt!!)

 

These pictures are of a funny sign in a store window, the park in St. Augustine, and Roger, his brother and his mother.

Guilty Pleasures

I have to admit, sometimes it's nice to have time to yourself.  I had a super great afternoon.  I got to walk to the apartment for lunch- just because I forgot something. It only took me ten minutes.  And, then, since no one was around, I got to go out to eat by myself.  Another fun thing to do every now and then.

The afternoon was pretty boring at work, since I still don't have a lot of responsibilities.  But they kicked me out the door at 5:00.  Weird sensation.  They DON'T want you go stay past five?!?

Then, since I knew no one was home, I got to have some more time by myself- a very rare commodity.  I took the long way home, picking up an orange, cream-filled cupcake along the way.  I dropped off my stuff, picked up my car, and went to the grocery to get the necessaries for dinner.  And, I didn't have to rush in the store.

Then I came home and got to listen to MY music and have a hard cider as I prepared dinner.

I like being married, but every now and then, I miss my ME time, too.

Here's to enjoying spending time with yourself!!!

No Title Today

"What'd you buy me for Christmas, Roger?" I asked, batting my eyes sweetly.  "I don't know," he said.  "I need to review your behavior this year."  Ha!  Whatever.  I hope I'm getting something good and age-appropriate.  Roger is getting things he doesn't expect, but of which he will get good use. :)  Eight more days to go.

So, I started my new job today.  Everyone was pretty nice.  I'm learning new things, which always makes me happy.  Plus, the fact that I can walk to and from work is an extra bonus.  At lunch, I ate my yogurt, then walked around downtown, admiring the buildings, even the abandoned ones.  I love the different architecture and hidden gems in molding, and iron, and paint.

On the way home, I thought I saw Roger standing on the corner.  He's so sweet- that's exactly the type of thing he'd do.  So I whistled as loud as I could.  However, every since I got braces, I'm not such a good whistler.  Then, the man disappeared around the corner.  Another thing Roger would do- hide and go seek!  A game!  So I ran down the street and jumped around the corner, but it wasn't Roger.  It was some unknown man, talking to an unknown woman.  They both looked at me like I was just an average lady.  People don't even raise an eyebrow at some crazy white woman that goes around scaring people just for fun?  Oh, well.  I got a good laugh.

In the next few minutes, we're leaving to go pick up Roger's mother and brother.  I hope they don't think I'm an awful wife because of my average housekeeping skills.  It is what it is, and I am who I am.

Happy Monday.  In four more days, Roger and I have our marriage blessed at church during the noon-time mass.  I hope my grandparents come.

I miss my friends a lot today.

Song of the day:

What a blah day....

Well, I'm finally done with the spare room that turned into a giant, messy closet.  I made the mistake of dumping whatever was in my arms when I walked in the door each day on the bed.  It was like when you clean out your purse, and just dump the contents in a bag, times 100.

Anyway, I finally have a neat, organized space for Roger's mother and brother to sleep tomorrow night.

The only remotely exciting thing I did all day was make bread pudding for the first time.  I found a pretty good recipe that called for Panettone (some weird Italian bread with raisins and some kind of nuts) instead of stale bread.  I also used brandy in the sauce.  Not bad.

Tomorrow I start my new job.  I'm really nervous.  My confidence level is pretty low since it took me 3 months to find work.  I hope I love it (and they love me).

So, in order to have something happy to post for today, here is my favorite joke of all time:

The National Poetry Contest had come down to two contestants-  a Yale graduate and a redneck from Texas.  They were given a word, and were then allowed two minutes to come up with a poem using the word.  The word they were given was Timbuktu.

First to recite his poem was the Yale graduate.  He stepped to the microphone and said:

     Far across the desert sand
     Trekked a lonely caravan.
     Men on camels, two by two;
     Destination Timbuktu.

The crowd went wild.  They were confident he had won.  They thought there was no way the redneck could top that.

The redneck calmly stepped to the microphone and recited:

     Me and Tim a huntin' went.
     Met three whores in a pop-up tent.
     They was three and we was two;
     So I bucked one and Timbuk two.

The redneck won, hands down.

Happy Sunday.  Let's pray for a great week.

Mean People Suck

Happy Saturday.  Here's the song of the day.  It's worth listening to, even if you don't like Depeche Mode:
 
Today was much happier than yesterday, even though I started my day losing a wrestling match to Roger, and the result was a large red suction mark with teeth on the side of my left cheek.  I look ridiculous.  It doesn't look like a hickey, just a giant red circle with teeth marks.  Sigh.  Only Roger.  "What?", he said.  "You don't like my kisses?"  That's also what he said the time he licked my entire face while holding down my arms when I lost a different wrestling match.  I need to start lifting weights.

I guess this was all fair, because I told him last week that I love him so much and I want him to live a long time, so I would check his prostate for him while he was sleeping.  He's slept on his side, facing me every since.  Have to keep him on his toes.....

Anyway, we thought we found a super cool place for Roger to get his hair cut, called Pomade and Tonic "Traditional Barber Shop and Social Club."  Super cool name, right?  Well, we rolled up today and all there was inside was a solitary older barber who only takes cash.  Turns out he was pretty grouchy, too.  Roger's gut suggested that we leave, so we did.

Then, we went to visit my grandparents.  I was finally able to return the toad that moved in to our apartment with us when I brought my plants from their house.  The toad was happy to be home, and I am happy he's not living in my bathroom anymore.  My papa helped me re-pot some succulents and we traded some more plants.  Roger and I also checked on our granadilla, jalapeno, and habenaro plants Papa is growing for us.  Our babies are getting big!!  While we were there, my mother also gave me some birthday presents that match my style perfectly- two ceramic owls and a wedding scrap book that looks antique.

For dinner, we went back to the European Street Market for IPA beers, beer cheese soup, pretzels, and pastrami sandwiches.  Yuuuummmmmyy.

Now, we're home, and I'm dreading the inevitable:  I have to clean and get organized in the next 24 hours before Roger's mother and brother come.  This stinks......

Anyway, throughout the course of the day, Roger and I debated what should be done to correct the chaos in our country.  Between the two of us, we usually come up with some pretty good ideas that we would use in our "Utopia."  So, Roger asked me what I would do to fix the gun laws.  And, I have to say, I don't think there is an effective answer.  I don't know that our country is reparable.  You can implement laws and regulations, but until you change people's hearts, things will never be much better.  I'm losing my optimism.  I don't know that I want to live here anymore.  There's so many extremes in the classes and social statuses.  And, you can't go anywhere without being plowed over my the "me" attitude of the average citizen.  There's little room for nice people anymore.  And, for everyone who has told me I need to toughen up and stop being sensitive, I say this:  I don't know why I'm hyper-sensitive- I was born this way and  I've been this way my whole life.  I care about everyone, even mean people.  I WANT to be good and kind and help others.  I WANT everyone to get along.  I WANT to smile and wave at people and have the actions reciprocated. I WANT to let others pass first.  I WANT to mail people handwritten letters and cards.  I WANT to establish traditions in my home.  I WANT to be honest, even when no one is watching.  I WANT to think that people are generally good.  I don't want to change or be any other way.  So there.

And, I love you, too!

For Shame.......

Today started out pretty well.  I was finally hired for a desirable banking position.  I start Monday.

Roger and I decided to celebrate by spending the afternoon out.  We had a great Cajun lunch, and then he took me to Peterbrooke Chocolates.  We ended the afternoon by watching the Hobbit.  I was super bummed because I left to get a popcorn refill and missed the end of the movie (they hadn't completed the mission they set out for, so I thought I had time.... wrong....).

Then we got in the car and I learned the concierge had to enter our apartment to put a perishable package in our fridge that we received.  Yikes!  I haven't cleaned very well for the last two weeks and had been using our extra bedroom as a catch-all room and the floor to sort laundry.  (Remember, our bedrooms don't have doors.)  Sigh.......

Then I checked my phone and found an email from our church, asking everyone to pray for those who were killed today at the Sandy Hook Elementary school.  I couldn't help but sit there in the car and cry in silence.   All I could feel is shame and grief.

Shame on me for letting a movie or messy apartment upset me when there are 26 families who did not have a love one come home from ELEMENTARY SCHOOL today.  What's wrong with me?  What's wrong with people?  What's wrong with this country?

I don't want to turn on the T.V. or radio anymore.  There hasn't been a day this week that I didn't hear about a senseless murder.  I think we had three or four fatal shootings within 20 miles of our home just in the last 4 or 5 days.

And, to hear on the news about how hard it is to get into elementary schools in America enrages me.  That's not true.  I know this from being a substitute teacher.  I've only been to two schools that were locked or had a buzzer and camera.

And, I have the deepest grief as I think about all the young students I saw this week, who were so excited for the Christmas break, and the holiday parties, and the extra crafts they made as gifts, and the break to spend with their families.  Little, precious children with runny noses, shirts smeared with dirt and paint, eager faces and happy hearts.  And then for those families in Connecticut, whose lives are changed forever.

For shame.........

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum, In A Dish

Sorry to bombard you with my erratic thoughts, but I just remembered this and it really makes me laugh!!!!

So, Roger and I were in church two weeks ago.  It was almost time for him to go up to light the first Advent candle.  I look over, and I notice that he was chewing gum.  Now, he's already standing out a little, because 1) we're young, 2) we're new, and 3) he was in jeans.  So, I start to panic.  "Roger!", I whispered as loud as I could, since he can't hear.  He turned.  "You have gum in your mouth!!!", I whisper shouted and gave him the crazy eye.

So, he calmly puts his hand to his mouth and spits the gum in it.  So, I'm watching and waiting, and he starts to reach down under the pew.  "What are you doing?" I mouthed frantically. So, he puts his hand back in his lap.

I didn't have my purse, so I didn't have a tissue.  "Swallow it!!", I mouthed again.  He stubbornly shook his head like a little kid.  I almost burst out laughing.  Here's my rough, take-no-bull husband afraid to swallow gum.  I reminded me of the old myth about swallowed gum staying in your stomach for 7 years.

I still don't know what he eventually did with the gum.  For all I know, it's stuck to the bottom of the pole used to light the candles.  :)

Bubble gum, bubble gum, in a dish; how many pieces do you wish!

Their Eyes Were Watching God

I think I've already been substitute teaching too long...... I asked Roger if we could start having "story time" at night!  We're reading, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," by Zora Neale Hurston.  This is a phenomenal story, written in 1937 about the life of a young black girl in the early 20th century.  The story is interesting to me, because the character lived in central and south Florida (Eatonville, Jacksonville, and the Everglades), and references the great Okeechobee Hurricane.  (I lived in Okeechobee for 20 years and own a house there.  My house is across the street from the dike, which was built as a result of the hurricane.)  Also, the author is an African American who lived in Ft. Pierce, which is where I lived when I was young.  

Start your own story time and read this book!  It provides good insight as to what it was like to be a young black person during the times of slavery, and then the abolition of slavery.

The end.

The CCC

I've been thinking, I think we need to reinstate programs like the CCC.  All young people should serve in this type of program or the military.  That's just my opinion.  For those who do not know about the CCC, here's some info, as found on Wikipedia:

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 17–28. James McEntee was the head of the agency. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it provided unskilled manual labor jobs related to the conservation and development of natural resources in rural lands owned by federal, state and local governments. The CCC was designed to provide employment for young men in relief families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression while at the same time implementing a general natural resource conservation program in every state and territory. Maximum enrollment at any one time was 300,000; in nine years 2.5 million young men participated in the CCC, which provided them with shelter, clothing, and food, together with a small wage of $30 a month ($25 of which had to be sent home to their families).^[1]

The American public made the CCC the most popular of all the New Deal programs.^[2] Principal benefits of an individual's enrollment in the CCC included improved physical condition, heightened morale, and increased employability. Of their pay of $30 a month, $25 went to their parents.^[3] Implicitly, the CCC also led to a greater public awareness and appreciation of the outdoors and the nation's natural resources; and the continued need for a carefully planned, comprehensive national program for the protection and development of natural resources.^[4]

During the time of the CCC, volunteers planted nearly 3 billion trees to help reforest America, constructed more than 800 parks nationwide and upgraded most state parks, updated forest fire fighting methods, and built a network of service buildings and public roadways in remote areas.^[5]

CCC workers constructing a road, 1933.

CCC camps in Michigan; the tents were soon replaced by barracks built by Army contractors for the enrollees.^[6]

The CCC operated separate programs for veterans and Native Americans.

Despite its popular support, the CCC was never a permanent agency. It depended on emergency and temporary Congressional legislation for its existence. By 1942, with the war industries booming and the draft in operation, need declined and Congress voted to close the program.^[7]

Women's Clothing

Happy Wednesday.

Something to ponder: why, in today's department stores, are the "womens" size clothing so ugly?  Who decided obscure, loud patterns, peek-a-boo cutouts, ruffles, and sleeveless blouses look good on women who weigh more than 180 pounds?  Who decided that clothes for plus size women need to look like they are blown up versions of 100% polyester clothes that might have been purchased at K-Mart for someone's great grandmother?  Why is there only one store-front chain (Lane Bryant) where you can find somewhat trendy clothes for size 14 and above?  And for anyone who didn't know, Lane Bryant isn't cheap!  A bra is $50 and a pair of jeans is $65.  Is it a punishment to women for being large?  Here's my observation of plus size clothing at Burlington, Dillards, Macy's, Penney's, Kohls, and Belks:

1. Most shirts are pink or purple, with ugly flowers.
2. More than half of the tops and dresses are sleeveless or shapeless.
3. Most of the skirts fall above the knee and are flared.
4. Most of the material is clingy and unforgiving.
5. All the jeans have rhinestones.
6. Most of the jeans have the worn look that accentuate our thighs and calves.
7. A lot of the blouses are midriff length or super long.
8. Most of the pants are tapered at the end.

Here's some examples:

Here's what I wish I could find:

1. Non-pastel or non-neon colors.  I like jewel tones and plain black or navy.
2. I don't want ruffles on my chest.  My chest doesn't need an accent- it's big enough.
3. I need sleeves- not caps, or poofs, no elastic please.  Half or 3/4 sleeves work fine.
4. I want my skirts to be straight and below the knee. I am not super tall, so flared makes me look short.  My legs are not super thin, so a pencil skirt is more slimming.
5. I want my shirts to fall to the middle of my hip.  Not to my belly button, or to the bottom of my butt.  I want the appearance of a waist.
6. I want my jeans to be uniform in color and cut straight, to make my legs look longer and less curvy.
7. I don't want any rhinestones or sequence or ribbon roses on my shirts or jeans pockets.
8. I would like my shirts to be made from a cotton/modal blend or a polyester/spandex blend that doesn't cling to my love handles.
9. If my t-shirt is going to have a print, I don't want the word "Love" or "Paris" written with a dove or a rose and other flowers.  I want a picture of a bicycle, or a raven, or a robot.  Or something else that says "I'm not 40 yet, and I don't think I'm a teenager.  I'm fun, and mature, and somewhat intelligent."

And for once, I would like to be able to buy a souvenir shirt or rock band shirt that fits me and is cut for a woman (shorter at the hemline and sleeve and tapered at the waist), instead of having to buy a men's version and have to cut out the collar make other, more feminine modifications.

Furthermore, I don't want to look in anymore catalogs, in "my section", and see a size 4 model trying to sell size 16 clothes.  Spare me.













I want clothes that look like this:

Men know what they want in clothes.  Look at this video for men's jeans:




Anyway, enough about that.  This is a good week.  Friday, I have orientation at the Post Office, so I can hopefully get on the hiring list; this morning, I was asked to interview at a local bank; and I got a phone call from a credit card company to ask if I would be interested in being a team supervisor.  Hopefully, I'll find a job I love, soon!!!


Here's the song of the day:



Peace in the Middle East!

Only Roger....

So, I was super happy, because I got in bed before Roger, which means I got control of the remote. This means I got to watch junk T.V. instead of a war movie, the news, or a documentary...... So a few minutes later, Roger joins me and asks what we're watching.  He then waited a few minutes and asked me the routine question, "are you sleeping?" Usually I mumble "no" and he gets upset because I'm really sleeping and missing the T.V. program. Tonight, however, when I responded "No", he said, "ohhhh, you can sleep, it's ok." ?!?!?!!@? Then I understood what was happening.  "You want me to sleep so you can change the channel!"  Then he starts rubbing my head and telling me to sleep. When that didn't work, he LICKED my glasses so I couldn't see!   Sigh...... Only Roger!!! I gave him the remote....

Pictorial

Today is my 39th birthday.  I was born in 1973 on my father's 21st birthday.

For some reason, every since I can remember, birthdays and Christmas always made me sad.  This year, however, I am trying to maintain a peaceful heart.

Roger committed that we would have a fun weekend.  We started with a nice, long walk Friday night.  We stopped by Jacksonville Landing on the way to observe the Christmas activities.  Here's a picture of Roger by the tree and another picture of the bridge at the river.

Yesterday, we went to a car show, where we met a couple of RX7 enthusiasts.  Roger is happy because he found how to fix the idle issue he's having.  We also found out about an RX7 run in the Carolina's in May (at the Tail of the Dragon).  We're hoping to be able to go.

After that, we headed to another Oldies Car Show at the Harley Davidson dealer.  There were lots of antique cars, trucks and motorcycles.  There was also great food.  We had rib tips from Pop-a-Doc's that were out of this world.  We're considering getting a truck, similar to this, for Rat Racing.

Next, we headed to Riverside.  We walked around to some antique shops, and I bought a birthday present for myself with some of the money my dad gave me.  I've had my eyes on these Russian President nesting dolls for a while.  I'm glad they were still there.

Then, we ate again!  We went to the European Street Cafe.  I had the best beer cheese soup and pretzel sticks and Roger had kielbasa.
Finally, we went to Black Hive Tattoos.  Roger's present to me was a set of anchor tatts on my ankles. :)

The tattoo shop was super clean and trendy (no walls of canned art that you flip like the Walmart poster display).  The artists were accommodating and professional.  And, they had the coolest doormat in the world!!  (Ignore my red shoe :)

Today, we'll go to church, and then find some other Grand Adventures for the day.

Happy Sunday.  Here's the song of the day!

My Life with my Wife...

"The Poorest Person is not one without money, but one without dreams....." 
That's what I always say to my wife.  Money is the last thing that worries me, rather, I will be scared or worried the day I don't have dreams or the desire for the adventure.

Doanyelle is the one who brings balance to my life.  She likes to wake me up as soon as SHE wakes up, just to say, "Hi!" or "Goodmorning!"  

Sometimes my dreams or imagination takes over, so she helps me keep reality in check.  Like one day, I decided to buy rocket launcher, and she told me "it's not feasible" to keep a rocket launcher in our apartment.

But I think our Great Adventure is about to get better.  We decided that we want to have a child.  I, however, have one condition- I don't want to raise a child in the U.S. right now- especially with the society's poor influences.  I'm not trying to be offensive, but I think this country's family values are declining. I watch the news daily, and that's not want for my family.  I want to expose our child to a different environment, so he learns that he can never take life for granted, and that he has to earn the things he wants in life.  I want him to be an independent thinker and have a unique perspective and style.  I feel sorry for children who grow up watching shows like Honey Boo-Boo, MTV, or reality T.V.

These are just my thoughts.  

I'm not trying to be philosophical about this, but adventures and dreams also come with responsibilities, and you should never take them for granted.

Have a nice weekend and try to expose your families to something different and don't let the media control your life.  

A Day In Our Life.....

Roger and I are settling into our new "old farts" routine.  Here's what an average day looks like:
6:30-     Wake up.  I get ready for work and Roger makes me a drink and snack
7:00-      I leave for work and Roger gets on the computer to start his work
4:00-      I come home from work.  Roger may have cooked "Lupper" (Lunch/Supper); if not, I cook.  Sometimes he helps me cook, but he's always trying to hug me and kiss me, so some of the ingredients get mixed up.  For example, tonight, we had an egg in our chili, that was meant for the Jiffy Cornbread.
4:30-     We eat our earlybird Lupper and have engaging conversation, like this:  "Roger, guess what I forgot that tastes good with chili?"  "What?"  "Fritos!!"  "Doritos?"  "No, Fritos!!!"  "Doritos?"  "Nevermind."
5:30-     I take a nap.  Roger watches a movie in bed until he eventually falls asleep.
7:00-     One of us is usually awake by now.  We try to annoy the other person by smiling and bugging him/her until they finally begrudgingly get up.  Then, we watch T.V. and sit on the couch with our laptops. Or, we go for a walk.
10:30-    I'm usually grouchy now because I'm tired again, so I agree to watch a movie in bed.  Roger now knows that after 10 minutes he'll be watching the movie alone, and after 30 minutes I'll be sighing and tossing and turning because it's too loud and I can't sleep and my level of grouchiness has doubled.
11:30-     We're both snoring.
01:00-     We take turns using the bathroom.
03:00-     We take turns using the bathroom.
Please don't be jealous of my exciting life.  Grand Adventures are mixed in along the way....  And, one more week and school will be out for two weeks, so we'll get to mix up our routine!!


Tonight, Roger excitedly told me he has a great birthday weekend planned for me.  It includes a breakfast at a car show, followed by a second car show.  (?!?!?) Can't wait.....  I just want a pedicure and my birthday tattoos. :)

Here's the song of the day:


Happy Friday!!!!

Now I've Seen Everything!

New Ornaments

When I came home yesterday, Roger was so excited. He told me he contributed to our Christmas tree, by adding more ornaments.  He wanted me to guess which ones he added.  Hummmmmm- can you pick them out?  LOL!!!!

We Need Your Opinion....

Here's the song of the day, in honor of my (sweet honey-pie sugar britches) husband. (The song doesn't mean anything special to us, he just really likes it.) Muwahhhhh......



And, here's a pic of me getting my FIRST autograph.  This is Art Alexakis, the lead singer of Everclear and political activist.  (One of Everclear's most radio-played songs is "Father of Mine.".....)

Now, down to business.  I am trying to prove a point to Roger.  Please share your opinions of this photo with us, or just comment the first word that comes to mind when you look at the photo below.  Thanks for participating!  :)  Have a great Wednesday.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat....

Today's message is about rowing your boat.  Unfortunately, in life, it's not usually "gently down the stream".  Rather, we find ourselves furiously paddling to avoid dropping off the face of the earth or crashing into jagged rocks.  However, take heart, there is one strategy that can help us through this struggle- ROW YOUR OWN BOAT.  This means, worry about 1) your own boat, 2) your own passengers, 3) your own destination.  This what I TRY to apply to my own life, including my home, work, and extracurricular activities.

Many people are so concerned with what's going on around them.  Their boats end up like bumper cars- sometimes they gently graze your "business/life", or sometimes, they plow right into you.  They are so engrossed with what you are doing, that they forget to keep themselves on course.

Other people are always offering advice as to how you should handle your boat.  But if you look at the direction their boats are headed, you might think twice about accepting their advice.

Instead, focus on YOUR boat.  First, what is the strategy for your boat?  Is it to have a great career, a stable family, a balanced life?  Decide what's going to keep your boat steady.  If this has to change down the road, that's o.k., too. We can't always predict rough waters.

Next, who do you want to be passengers in your boat?  Your partner, your children, your BFF?  Pick people who support your strategies and beliefs and who will be able to row in harmony with you.  You don't want someone in your boat who always wants to go in a direction that's different from the one you have chosen.  And, sometimes, you have to switch passengers as you get further down your path.  That's o.k.  It's called "Life Happens."  And, we can always fondly remember those who contributed to our journeys, even if they've moved on through death or switching boats.  We don't HAVE TO or GET TO keep all of our original passengers.

Finally, where is your boat headed?  What is your destination?  Are you going to chose the most direct path to meet your goals, or are your going to make it hard for yourself by not having a clear strategy or people in your boat that can row in the same direction as needed?  Or, are you going to choose to take your boat on as many GRAND ADVENTURES as possible along the way?

Whichever direction you chose, I wish you calm waters and a great Ship Mates. :)

Beat that!

Roger and I got our power bill for the month- $40.83.  Holy mongolios!!!!!! That's stinkin awesome!!!  Whoot whoot!

Eve 6 and Everclear Concert at Freebies, Jax Beach

Despite a crappy opening band (Namesake) and almost an hour technical delay for Everclear, I enjoyed this concert. At the end, the band signed my photo and old cd insert from 1997, shook my hand, introduced themselves personally, asked my name and took a picture with me (and did the same for everyone else who wanted to wait in line- you didn't even have to buy anything). EXCELLENT P.R.  Hats off to them.

What An Awesome Afternoon!

This is an awesome afternoon.  I finally had a good substituting assignment, I made a great taco lunch, I got to talk to my brother, we were asked by our church to light the first Advent candle at the mass on Sunday, and we're going to see Everclear tonight.  Things can't get much better than this.  I hope everyone else had such a good day!




P.S.
I discovered two things I didn't know about my husband:  1) he honestly didn't know you can't turn left at a red light (What?!?), and 2) he's a pretty good painter.  I'm hoping to persuade him to post pictures of the two mini-paintings he did last night.  :)

When Should You Ask For Advice?

My family is full if drama queens (and kings!).  Sometimes, it's easy to get caught up in the drama.  One good way is when you have a problem, to ask EVERYONE you know for advice.  O.K.- maybe the thinking is the more advice you get, the more choices you have to make a decision.  Sorry, this just muddles the water.  It's more like the more people you ask, the  more probable it is you'll hear the advice you're really looking for.

Another reason this is a bad idea, is because if someone takes the time to give you advice, they genuinely believe you are interested in their insight, and expect that you might go the path they suggest.  So, the more people invested in your drama, the more people you're likely to tick off.

So, when is it o.k. to ask for advice?  When you have a CRITICAL problem, and you know someone that might have been in the same, or similar, situation.  For example, substitute teaching is NOT for me, but it's my current profession.  It's not in my chemistry to handle being called a bitch all day long, and to have to raise my voice in a futile effort to gain control of young people.  So, I asked my very long-time friend, who has been teaching long before I was in her middle school science class.  This is a qualified person to give me guidance.  I didn't call twenty friends or family members to ask what I should do, because 1) they don't know the rules of today's school system, 2) they are not teachers, and 3) they don't deal with 25 children in one setting.

Another time it's o.k. to look for advice is with your spouse, because often, when you make a decision, even if it doesn't involve marital things, it can affect your mood, your confidence or other aspects that ultimately effect your relationship.  For example, I am currently having issues with a family member.  I was initially livid.  I didn't discuss the problem with Roger, because I wanted to be able to have an objective conversation with him.  I know when I'm upset, it disturbs him because we have a balance.  So one day after my problem arose and I had time to think about it, I shared with Roger and we came up with some viable solutions.

So MY ADVICE is (haha), use discretion when you ask for advice! 

P.S. Tonight is Everclear!! :)

Here's the song of the day.  Happy Friday!

Deck the Halls!!!

Roger didn't want to decorate for Christmas.  Bah Humbug!  However, coming from parents and grandparents that generally set up 6-13 themed Christmas trees each year and who have rooms to store their decorations, not decorating at all is not an option for me....

So, I put up the mini tree we bought at the Fans and Stoves Antique Mall, and my growing Fontanini Nativity.  Roger was like a little kid.  "Wow", he said.
Humph.  I'm glad he like it.  (I also added our first ornament- a red ball from Harrods, in London!)

Trololo-ing along........

Roger showed me this video a few weeks ago.  I HATED the song at first.  But then, he walked around for a week singing this song baritone, and it kind of grew on me.  So, this is the song of the day.....

Today was a great day.  We took a drive to visit my grandparents.  We also checked on our grenadilla plants.  Here's what a grenadilla looks like:

I'm told it's like a passion fruit.  You suck out those jelly-surrounded seeds.  Super sweet and yummy.  I tried to smuggle some in from Peru, but customs nabbed me.  However, about two months ago, I got some seeds.  I asked Roger to ask my Papa to help him plant them, but he couldn't find him outside, so he just decided to dump ALL the seeds in a little pot, half filled with dirt.  Then, to make sure no one found them, he hid the pot under the shed. When I discovered this, I had to explain that the seeds probably wouldn't sprout in the dark.....LOL.  So, my granddad, who has the best green thumb ever, is now the guardian of the pot.  Today, we have about twelve two inch sprouts.  I figure if they survive the cold, we'll have fruit in about 5 years.

That's all for now.  Stay warm.

The Great Adventure..

I love my wife so much !!

We always have something to do, places to go and people to meet, but at the end is just Doanyelle and I, this is the reason our marriage is full of great adventures.

sometimes we invent our adventures at home, writing, creating, reading or just talking , dreaming, making plans,always making plans for the next adventure.

We share almost the same interests , like music, books, art,antiques, etc.

Thank for read my wife blog every day,i just discover that she have this gift for narrative and share with people through the blog.she is now a "blogstar" with over a 200 visits a day, very impressive.

At this point you probably are thinking what a chessy post "some guy writing about her wife" but really for me Doanyelle is a Great Adventure always something new. take the time to read previous post and you will understand.

Bye

A Peaceful Sunday

In the words of Ice Cube, "It was a good day."  Roger talked me into going to church.  I really didn't want to go, but I'm glad he's motivated and I don't want to set the wrong trend, so I went.  I'm so glad.  I once again feel like God has a purpose for me, and the Reverend welcomed us as new parishioners.

Then, we went to the Green Market in Riverside.  Weird thing is, I was going to buy some Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap online this morning, but got side track.  They had some for sale at the store, so I lucked out.  We also bought some awesome almonds baked with apples, dates, flax seed, balsamic vinegar and red pepper.  Yuuummmmy!

After that, we went to the library to pick up documentaries for the week.  (We're on a kick!)  This week, we have Guantanamo Bay, Ben Franklin, Marked (about prison tatts), Secrets of the Civil War, 42 Ways to Kill Hitler, the Underground Railroad, and Pakistan.  We also got One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  Last week we watched Secondhand Lions and On Golden Pond.  Two thumbs up for both.

Here's a picture of a woman standing outside the library.  For someone who loves Jesus so much, I couldn't figure out why she wasn't smiling... :(

For lunch, my wonderful husband made ceviche and seafood stew.  

And this afternoon, we were lazy and relaxed.  

This will be a great week.  Here's the song of the day.