So you all know that the hubby and I are redoing our yard. We've been digging, pruning, weeding and graveling. Because of our renewed interest in having something besides a jungle surround our home, the fates have decided to play small head games with us. It all started with water in our meter box which precipitated the drainage trench in our front flower bed. Things just escalated from there, both inside and out.
1. Car Fail. From knocking to backfiring to flat tires, all of our cars have had something wrong with them this summer. My son's Honda left him stranded after he went and picked up his best friend from camp. My husband's truck inexplicably had the mysterious loosening spark plug. The Suzuki is STILL in the shop after 16 days due to a ghostly whining coming from the transmission!
2. Garbage Disposal Fail. It took two trys to fix this one. And without the disposal, you can't run the DISHWASHER!.
3. Dog Fail. After ten years of being skunk free, my Scrappy Doo has been hit by a skunk twice... at three am.
4. Health Fail. Had to take darling daughter to the doctors yesterday after a night of uncontrolled vomiting and found out she has Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. Huh, well, that explains a lot. Turns out CVS is related to her motion sickness, migraines and fainting spells. And we thought it was just because she was a diva. (Okay, she's still a diva, now she just has more to diva about.)
5.Washing Machine Fail. This oh-so-important piece of household machinery failed five hours BEFORE my dog got skunked. Wonerful, wonerful.
6. Coordination Fail. This summer, I have fallen, hit myself with the butt end of a shovel and wrapped a rose vine around my bare calf. Yesterday was the ultimate in coordination fail when I dumped a Starbucks with a faulty lid down the front of my shirt. In public.
6. Soap Fail. My left hand still smells like skunk.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Best Fourth Evah
Had kind of a neighborhood block party. An impromtu one, which is the best kind. Made a pitcher of Mojitos. (As an aside, a fifth of rum is too much for a gallon jug of mojitos. I'm just saying.)
We started the evening at my house, moved to the street for the fireworks display put on by neighbors, then went across the street for a spur of the minute jam session, (my dh still has it). We then ended the evening in another neighbors hot tub. (Note to self: score hot tub.)
I'm really overjoyed that I'm in my forties and can still have the best day ever. YAY!
Oh, also had a garage sale over the holiday weekend. Very profitable, and my poor OCD husband got his garage back. My daughter and I started cleaning while he was at work last Monday and the poor guy had a full blown anxiety attack when he got home. It was like we had entered and defiled the Holy of Holies. The amount of stuff he managed to squirrel away in the past ten years is incredible! Who needs thirty cleaned out butter tubs? Magazines dating from 1997? After three ten-hour days of cleaning, organizing and THROWING AWAY, we had a huge garage sale and got rid of even MORE stuff. Then my dh, who never tosses anything, actually loaded almost everything left into the truck himself! BREAKTHROUGH! He LOVES being able to move around. I am SO PROUD OF HIM! He's like a recovered junk .... well, junkie.
Of course, I had like five hours of sleep, which is not enough to run the day on, but it was worth it. Hope everyone else's fourth was as fab as mine was!!!
We started the evening at my house, moved to the street for the fireworks display put on by neighbors, then went across the street for a spur of the minute jam session, (my dh still has it). We then ended the evening in another neighbors hot tub. (Note to self: score hot tub.)
I'm really overjoyed that I'm in my forties and can still have the best day ever. YAY!
Oh, also had a garage sale over the holiday weekend. Very profitable, and my poor OCD husband got his garage back. My daughter and I started cleaning while he was at work last Monday and the poor guy had a full blown anxiety attack when he got home. It was like we had entered and defiled the Holy of Holies. The amount of stuff he managed to squirrel away in the past ten years is incredible! Who needs thirty cleaned out butter tubs? Magazines dating from 1997? After three ten-hour days of cleaning, organizing and THROWING AWAY, we had a huge garage sale and got rid of even MORE stuff. Then my dh, who never tosses anything, actually loaded almost everything left into the truck himself! BREAKTHROUGH! He LOVES being able to move around. I am SO PROUD OF HIM! He's like a recovered junk .... well, junkie.
Of course, I had like five hours of sleep, which is not enough to run the day on, but it was worth it. Hope everyone else's fourth was as fab as mine was!!!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Notes
1. Michael Jackson's death. So conflicted about this. On one hand, I danced to his music in the eighties and adored his style. On the other hand, repeated accusations of pedophila and other bizzarre behavior will just not go away in my mind. For me, the MJ I loved has been gone for a long, long time. As someone on Twitter put it, "I wish I could take that talented and handsome young man and put him into another dimension before it all went wrong.
2. Son went to a party last night and texted me to say he wouldn't be home. He's 19. I'm so thankful he's mature enough to know ahead of time that he won't be driving. I'm so thankful he doesn't do even a quarter of the stuff I was doing at 19. So how come I still couldn't sleep???
3. How come now that I'm jobless, I'm so busy I have no idea how I made time for an actual job?? I can't seem to find time to write, let alone work. The yard, the house, my family and my parents take up SO MUCH TIME! There is always something that needs to be washed, weeded, trimmed, taken to the vets, taken to the doctors or cleaned. WTH?
4. Tomorrow is our last book club Starbucks/B&N trip until fall. So. Much. Fun.
2. Son went to a party last night and texted me to say he wouldn't be home. He's 19. I'm so thankful he's mature enough to know ahead of time that he won't be driving. I'm so thankful he doesn't do even a quarter of the stuff I was doing at 19. So how come I still couldn't sleep???
3. How come now that I'm jobless, I'm so busy I have no idea how I made time for an actual job?? I can't seem to find time to write, let alone work. The yard, the house, my family and my parents take up SO MUCH TIME! There is always something that needs to be washed, weeded, trimmed, taken to the vets, taken to the doctors or cleaned. WTH?
4. Tomorrow is our last book club Starbucks/B&N trip until fall. So. Much. Fun.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
My New Project
As many of you know, I put together a teen book club through my former job at Community Partners of Affordable Housing. I love me some book club girls... they're funny and insightful and all the things you would expect girls ages 11 to 15 to be. I'm not doing book club this summer, but will start up again in the fall. But one of the girls wanted my RACE for the CURE T-shirt and an idea was born.
So now we are doing a running club and hopefully will all run the 5k race at the Komen race this fall. I'm doing this for many reasons,
1. Self worth. Completing a 5k gives you a huge sense of self accomplishment. This is something I would love these girls to have.
2. Health. The statistics on low income teens and obesity is through the roof. If only a few of these girls learn good nutrition and how to care for their bodies, it will be worth it.
3. I miss them like CRAZY!
I plan on talking about nutrition and self care during our training sessions. We'll meet once a week through the summer to train. My biggest concern is not only the money it takes to enter, but also lack of good running gear. We are meeting today to talk about our schedule and the kind of equipment they have... I don't know if they have shoes or running bras, because a few of them will definitely need running bras!
So yeah, I will probably be hitting you all up for clothing later in the summer once I ascertain what they actually need. You all have been so great about sending books for their library and the book club, that I am sure I will have no problem getting the right gear for them. I also plan on putting up some pictures so you can meet my girls... Shamsa, Kameellia, Jennifer, Ana, April, and Jayteanna are all in and I am trying to get a couple of the others, as well.
I wanted to change the world... I just didn't know I was going to do it a few girls at a time:)
So now we are doing a running club and hopefully will all run the 5k race at the Komen race this fall. I'm doing this for many reasons,
1. Self worth. Completing a 5k gives you a huge sense of self accomplishment. This is something I would love these girls to have.
2. Health. The statistics on low income teens and obesity is through the roof. If only a few of these girls learn good nutrition and how to care for their bodies, it will be worth it.
3. I miss them like CRAZY!
I plan on talking about nutrition and self care during our training sessions. We'll meet once a week through the summer to train. My biggest concern is not only the money it takes to enter, but also lack of good running gear. We are meeting today to talk about our schedule and the kind of equipment they have... I don't know if they have shoes or running bras, because a few of them will definitely need running bras!
So yeah, I will probably be hitting you all up for clothing later in the summer once I ascertain what they actually need. You all have been so great about sending books for their library and the book club, that I am sure I will have no problem getting the right gear for them. I also plan on putting up some pictures so you can meet my girls... Shamsa, Kameellia, Jennifer, Ana, April, and Jayteanna are all in and I am trying to get a couple of the others, as well.
I wanted to change the world... I just didn't know I was going to do it a few girls at a time:)
Monday, June 22, 2009
Just Call Me the Gravel Queen
The last two weeks have been all about gravel. Big gravel, little gravel, in-between gravel. I had no idea how much gravel one yard could hold. And they measure gravel by the yard and no, one yard of gravel does not finish the yard. Fancy that.
It's also been about paint. Spray paint and regular paint. Finished painting the caulk on the front of the house and will hit the back this week, so our house will no longer look as if it were held together with Elmers School Glue. Spray painted the shelf in the bathroom. Who knew that spray painting would hurt so much. My forefinger had a crater sized hole in it by the time I was done.
Am still plotting my WIP. The story is told from the POV of four different girls and I can admit I am floundering a bit. I'm getting the hang of it, but it is different. Am experimenting with different plotting techniques to see if any fit this particular book. None of the techniques I've tried--colored stickies, index cards, standing on my head and talking into a recorder, seem to be helping. Going to experiment with an excel sheet at some point. I really need to see how the plot strands hold together. Any pointers would be great!
Okay, must run. Taking my car in to be serviced then making two more gravel runs. Hope everyone else is having a good summer!
It's also been about paint. Spray paint and regular paint. Finished painting the caulk on the front of the house and will hit the back this week, so our house will no longer look as if it were held together with Elmers School Glue. Spray painted the shelf in the bathroom. Who knew that spray painting would hurt so much. My forefinger had a crater sized hole in it by the time I was done.
Am still plotting my WIP. The story is told from the POV of four different girls and I can admit I am floundering a bit. I'm getting the hang of it, but it is different. Am experimenting with different plotting techniques to see if any fit this particular book. None of the techniques I've tried--colored stickies, index cards, standing on my head and talking into a recorder, seem to be helping. Going to experiment with an excel sheet at some point. I really need to see how the plot strands hold together. Any pointers would be great!
Okay, must run. Taking my car in to be serviced then making two more gravel runs. Hope everyone else is having a good summer!
Monday, June 08, 2009
Blogger Break
I think I'm going to take a break from blogger for a week or so. I hate leaving it lie fallow, so to speak, but honestly, I need a little perspective right now. A wee break that will hopefully leave me fresher and ready to write.
I'll probably still twitter because I can't help myself... plus, oneliners come easy to me.
Hugs!
Teri
I'll probably still twitter because I can't help myself... plus, oneliners come easy to me.
Hugs!
Teri
Friday, June 05, 2009
We Done Been Skunked
For the past few mornings we've had a skunk nosing around the greenspace next to our home. You all remember my dog, Scrappy, right? Well, Scrappy does take offense to any creature roaming to close to our back yard, hims does.
This morning at 3AM, my exhausted Dh let Scrappy out to go to the bathroom.
Scrappy is part Dachshund, part Beagle and ALL HOUND. The skunk had the audacity to actually come INTO the backyard and Scrappy went ballistic in an effort to drive him out. Woke me out of a sound sleep. I sat up and thought, S&%#, he's got a coon cornered.
Nope, just your average, ordinary skunk. I don't know what actually happened out there in the dark--some Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon crap, no doubt, but I do know who won. Scrappy got a full frontal skunk assault. So DH lets him into the house and says inanely, "He got sprayed."
No shit, Sherlock. Ya think? I'm running around in my old stripped nightgown, trying to function, my son is yelling from his bedroom to get the dog back outside and my daughter has slipped on a gas mask.(WTF? Does she keep one under her bed in case of a random mustard gas attack?) Dh just stands there, blinking wildly, while Scrappy rubs his offending face all over the couch.
Chaos. Mayhem. Bedlam. Confusion in the ranks.
So far, we have washed him with vinegar and shampoo, Hydrogen Peroxide and dishsoap, and then used degreaser and a bounce sheet on his head where we could actually see the skunk oil. We've set out bowls of coffee grounds and vinegar and sprayed the house with Febreze. Now DH is headed to the store for a Massingill Douche. Yes, I will be douching my dog at 6AM.
Sorry Ann, I don't think I'm going to make our Starbucks chat this morning.
This morning at 3AM, my exhausted Dh let Scrappy out to go to the bathroom.
Scrappy is part Dachshund, part Beagle and ALL HOUND. The skunk had the audacity to actually come INTO the backyard and Scrappy went ballistic in an effort to drive him out. Woke me out of a sound sleep. I sat up and thought, S&%#, he's got a coon cornered.
Nope, just your average, ordinary skunk. I don't know what actually happened out there in the dark--some Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon crap, no doubt, but I do know who won. Scrappy got a full frontal skunk assault. So DH lets him into the house and says inanely, "He got sprayed."
No shit, Sherlock. Ya think? I'm running around in my old stripped nightgown, trying to function, my son is yelling from his bedroom to get the dog back outside and my daughter has slipped on a gas mask.(WTF? Does she keep one under her bed in case of a random mustard gas attack?) Dh just stands there, blinking wildly, while Scrappy rubs his offending face all over the couch.
Chaos. Mayhem. Bedlam. Confusion in the ranks.
So far, we have washed him with vinegar and shampoo, Hydrogen Peroxide and dishsoap, and then used degreaser and a bounce sheet on his head where we could actually see the skunk oil. We've set out bowls of coffee grounds and vinegar and sprayed the house with Febreze. Now DH is headed to the store for a Massingill Douche. Yes, I will be douching my dog at 6AM.
Sorry Ann, I don't think I'm going to make our Starbucks chat this morning.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Out of Commission
The yard finally got the better of me.
After more weeding, staking, snipping and trimming, the husband and I decided last Saturday to buy a couple of loads of bark mulch to spread. I mean truck loads because we have more flowerbeds than the queen does at Buckingham Palace. I went ahead of him and prepped the beds while he unloaded and spread the mulch. Sunday morning we got up and found free gravel on Craigslist. FREE! We made two trips during which we shoveled, loaded and dug like mad people. But it was WORTH IT because we finally got the area in front of our woodshed graveled. Which is a good thing because in the winter, people could actually disappear in the mud trying to put another log on the fire. In fact, I think that's what happened to my great Aunt Agnes.
Now this is all good stuff because we are spitting distance of being done with the yard. Which means all we have to do is maintain the darn thing while we work on other projects like the front patio and the side fence. It made me very happy and I went to bed Sunday night, sore but satisfied.
Too bad I woke up a cripple yesterday. Not only could I not move without pain, but I had to take my parents to the doctors. And wait for three hours. And then go to work.
After another restless night last night, I have come to the conclusion that I am old. And not only am I old, but I no longer want to take care of a yard that boast 13trees, 15 rose bushes, a pond and 12 flower beds. I want a hot tub for my back, huge patios, hammocks and lounge chairs, an outdoor kitchen and maybe a potted plant or two. HGTV needs to come and give me a yard makeover. I'm desperate.
After more weeding, staking, snipping and trimming, the husband and I decided last Saturday to buy a couple of loads of bark mulch to spread. I mean truck loads because we have more flowerbeds than the queen does at Buckingham Palace. I went ahead of him and prepped the beds while he unloaded and spread the mulch. Sunday morning we got up and found free gravel on Craigslist. FREE! We made two trips during which we shoveled, loaded and dug like mad people. But it was WORTH IT because we finally got the area in front of our woodshed graveled. Which is a good thing because in the winter, people could actually disappear in the mud trying to put another log on the fire. In fact, I think that's what happened to my great Aunt Agnes.
Now this is all good stuff because we are spitting distance of being done with the yard. Which means all we have to do is maintain the darn thing while we work on other projects like the front patio and the side fence. It made me very happy and I went to bed Sunday night, sore but satisfied.
Too bad I woke up a cripple yesterday. Not only could I not move without pain, but I had to take my parents to the doctors. And wait for three hours. And then go to work.
After another restless night last night, I have come to the conclusion that I am old. And not only am I old, but I no longer want to take care of a yard that boast 13trees, 15 rose bushes, a pond and 12 flower beds. I want a hot tub for my back, huge patios, hammocks and lounge chairs, an outdoor kitchen and maybe a potted plant or two. HGTV needs to come and give me a yard makeover. I'm desperate.
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