Some of the gals pals and I have been talking about this new " Nancy Drew " movie that has just opened. You can pretty much determine the median age of the group by having everyone relate not if they read the series, but which one was their first , and which one is the most memorable. Every one of the gals had ready answers, the memory of the yellow covers still bright and shiney , opinions on George and Bess, what Nancy's hair color should have been....the list goes on and on. For many of us, there wasn't another series when we were 11, 12 or 13. We were not a target market in the mid 1960's. Too young for Gloria Steinem or Helen Gurley Brown. Way the hell too young for Erica Jung or Xavieria Hollander, ( yes,.SU..I read " The Happy Hooker ") . " Nancy Drew " was the first moment that we realized that a girl ( us) could be independent. If she didn't need her father or the " Hardy Boys " to bail her ass out, neither did we. We hadn't quite graduated to the Georgette Heyers or other Regency Romances , and for me this was rather a straight line into an obsession with books. Nancy Drew to Georgette Heyer to " The Saint" by Leslie Charteris to " Charlie Chan " by Earl Derr Biggers to Perry Mason to Doc Savage to Agatha Christie to Edgar Rice Burroughs to Marion Zimmer Bradley to Frank Herbert to Anne McCaffrey and on and on and on. Throw in Tolstoy, Churchill, Bronte, Wilde, Shelley and it grows upward. There are authors that SU and I automatically buy, Clive Cusslers " Dirk Pitt " and the NUMA series, Robert Parkers " Spenser Series" , you get the idea.
Books have always meant an escape for me when I was younger , to a place where all things were possible. You always fit in, no one judges you, and if there was a crisis, more often than not, the plucky teenage girl would solve the mystery and save the day.
In many ways our children are growing up too fast, they have so much thrown at them from the earliest age , that there is no time or interest in the joy of a simple book. Their attention span is about thirty seconds at best, and the very idea of reading a book , and loving it so much that they want to re-read it is almost a foreign concept. Many have asked me why I was such a huge fan of " Harry Potter " . The answer was easy....it gave kids the idea that books were cool, and that the story engaged them. It made them talk about a book, an idea, and the fact that they were enthralled enough to re read the copies that they had in preparation for the next release or because they just liked the damn'd thing gave me hope that all is not lost in the world of reading.
I bet J.K. Rowling read " Nancy Drew ".
I know I did.
Have a great week.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol .
UPDATE :
I just spoke to SU. Our pal the Moron has just gotten word that the mass on the back of his neck near the spinal column is non cancerous.
WOOO F'G HOOOOOO
We have both been worried sick since we found out about it. This on top of some other dreadful news made for less than the stellar weekend aat Casa de Swamp. Th original MRI that the Moron had came back as " inconclusive " , which is neither good nor bad, but no definitive diagnosis scared the willies out of me and the SU . I will keep you posted on the Morons further medical adventures or " Moron's Got Something New To Bitch And Moan About. "
Blessed Be.
Aunty Pol.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Another Angel
Once again , I am strengthened by the group of people that I work with . We have often referred to ourselves as a " family" and while that might seem trite, there are times such as now that I know the truth of that simple declaration .
One of the dearest, nicest, kindest of gentleman lost his 22 month old grandson last night to Leukemia . Malachi was a sweet little guy and the apple of his Grandpa's eye, but between the last treatment and the infections he developed with a compromised immune system, it just wore him down . One of the hardest hit outside of the immediate family is another co-worker who's son has just gone through I believe 3 1/2 years of treatment. Missy will forgive me if the math is off . We had all followed Nicky's journey and were about to celebrate this victory tomorrow. Missy knowing this was the first to suggest that we postpone the do-dah out of respect and the managing partner suggested that we send all of the food to Malachi's family that we were going to have brought in.
There are days I simply detest my job, I debate the merits of it all...but for the most part it is because of the caliber of people I work with at this law firm that I come in every day with a smile..faked or not. Don't start..we all have those days.
In thinking of Malachi, I think of the Bug and her parents and grandparents and how much they adore her . She is younger than Malachi was and she is their world, and to a degree mine and the SU's. And I'm only her Granty. And I adore her.
If you have a grandbaby or a child..hug them extra tight. Hug your loved ones at home and away in any way you can. life is just too damn'd short to let even one day slip by.
Blessed Be,
Aunty Pol
One of the dearest, nicest, kindest of gentleman lost his 22 month old grandson last night to Leukemia . Malachi was a sweet little guy and the apple of his Grandpa's eye, but between the last treatment and the infections he developed with a compromised immune system, it just wore him down . One of the hardest hit outside of the immediate family is another co-worker who's son has just gone through I believe 3 1/2 years of treatment. Missy will forgive me if the math is off . We had all followed Nicky's journey and were about to celebrate this victory tomorrow. Missy knowing this was the first to suggest that we postpone the do-dah out of respect and the managing partner suggested that we send all of the food to Malachi's family that we were going to have brought in.
There are days I simply detest my job, I debate the merits of it all...but for the most part it is because of the caliber of people I work with at this law firm that I come in every day with a smile..faked or not. Don't start..we all have those days.
In thinking of Malachi, I think of the Bug and her parents and grandparents and how much they adore her . She is younger than Malachi was and she is their world, and to a degree mine and the SU's. And I'm only her Granty. And I adore her.
If you have a grandbaby or a child..hug them extra tight. Hug your loved ones at home and away in any way you can. life is just too damn'd short to let even one day slip by.
Blessed Be,
Aunty Pol
Monday, June 11, 2007
Dibs and Dabs ~ LOL
Well kids, it was an interesting weekend. Friday morning I trot out to the kitchen , headed to the car when I see that SU has taken the coffee pot completely apart. Completely apart. My fancy ass brew monkey cannot handle the minerals we have here..thank you Houston. In all fairness , neither one of us has been good on the cycle vinegar through it....so it gets all cranky and pissy and slow. Great.....he says he can fix it which means I will no longer be able to sneak an extra 20 minutes ZZZZ in the A of M. .....Sh*t....that sucks.
Onward.
Friday continues...............
The day from hell..long story , new group of attorney..no..I did not make a typo . The guy is a super nice dude..so is his staff....I can say no more..kill me now. Clients every 15 minutes...I am NOT making this up.
Time to go home....sweet jeebus...at last.
SU got a gift card to Chrome Depot from his boss for his birthday and Moi being Moi sez " I can always use some more hydrangeas ....and new leather gloves...lol. Note to self..Hey Idjit..green might not be the optimum color choice for prunning gloves...like the rose cane colors...ya think ??
Saturday Morning.
As usual he worked which is fine, we have come to expect that and the overtime helps a lot. I woke up at 7 a.m...I don't know why ..sheesh..maybe it was the swim meet at the subdivision pool kitty corner from us.,....maybe the bull horn...maybe the kids going berserker mode kitteh when they are woken up from what ever passes for a cats deep REM state. Insert " Losing My Religion " melody here..mwahahahah...it's stuck in your head too , isn't it ??
I haul the arse out to the kitchen...Mr. Krups you are my hero . I didn't know my brew buddy was high dollah as we say here till I saw it in a show on HGTV..no..not the one with Roger...the one where the cost of the renovation is more than I make in a year..yeah..that one. Off to the garden...it by the way is already in the 90's here ..in friggan June people. Water, prune, fertilize..um...NG ( neighbor gal # 1 ) -can I I borrow your miracle grow feeder..mine' s kersplat. Kewl..Thanks. Prune..water..feed...Krap. Oscillating sprinkler kaput. Oh NG on the other side ..yup..can I borrow dat ? Kewl...Work, sweat..more of each..go in. Aw hell..too hot now..start house work inside....lalalal.."
He had gone off with the Crazy Cajun and the Mrs to see a local community theater production, which I pass on. I honestly had a couple of things planned and some phone calls to make, getting caught up with the gal pals on the other coast. Plus, I'd begun cleaning the front part of the house..really cleaning....door lintels, hanging art...hoovering the crumbs from where Andy has to eat his special treaties...he likes those hard whisker lickings fish shaped things so we break them up and make a mound on the carpet..with his 1/4 tab pill buried . I don't think he knows he just snarfed up a pill ..bright boy that . Record a cpl hrs from the history channel...off to bed..dead stone worn out . Then up the next day to finish Bedrooms..I get clinically insane a this point..lets clean all of the Mardi Gras masks we've collected that are hanging up on the bedroom walls. No..they are not the cheap shit..we carefully chose them , each and every one..many are very unique and not cheap from NOLA . Then...lets clean the rest of the hanging art..especially the large pictures we bought from Huanna Glass , a local artist. By the time I am done..my house is all but staged...clean enough to satisfy my parents...and I am beat. I l ike doing it but get carried way too far off the deep end...clean all inside windows...check...wash all the drapes except the new chenille ones...check...hoover furniture...check....find tylenol...check....
Next weekend promises more of the same..get the PTU out for the boys 9 a.m. vet visit /follow up. SU is playing golf..I will be cleaning carpets and or back in the garden.
On the up side..Dr. appt tomorrow for new glasses..I am soooo stoked..plus hopefully hair before the wing ding...oh you know you will hear about that...be patient.
Take care .
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Onward.
Friday continues...............
The day from hell..long story , new group of attorney..no..I did not make a typo . The guy is a super nice dude..so is his staff....I can say no more..kill me now. Clients every 15 minutes...I am NOT making this up.
Time to go home....sweet jeebus...at last.
SU got a gift card to Chrome Depot from his boss for his birthday and Moi being Moi sez " I can always use some more hydrangeas ....and new leather gloves...lol. Note to self..Hey Idjit..green might not be the optimum color choice for prunning gloves...like the rose cane colors...ya think ??
Saturday Morning.
As usual he worked which is fine, we have come to expect that and the overtime helps a lot. I woke up at 7 a.m...I don't know why ..sheesh..maybe it was the swim meet at the subdivision pool kitty corner from us.,....maybe the bull horn...maybe the kids going berserker mode kitteh when they are woken up from what ever passes for a cats deep REM state. Insert " Losing My Religion " melody here..mwahahahah...it's stuck in your head too , isn't it ??
I haul the arse out to the kitchen...Mr. Krups you are my hero . I didn't know my brew buddy was high dollah as we say here till I saw it in a show on HGTV..no..not the one with Roger...the one where the cost of the renovation is more than I make in a year..yeah..that one. Off to the garden...it by the way is already in the 90's here ..in friggan June people. Water, prune, fertilize..um...NG ( neighbor gal # 1 ) -can I I borrow your miracle grow feeder..mine' s kersplat. Kewl..Thanks. Prune..water..feed...Krap. Oscillating sprinkler kaput. Oh NG on the other side ..yup..can I borrow dat ? Kewl...Work, sweat..more of each..go in. Aw hell..too hot now..start house work inside....lalalal.."
He had gone off with the Crazy Cajun and the Mrs to see a local community theater production, which I pass on. I honestly had a couple of things planned and some phone calls to make, getting caught up with the gal pals on the other coast. Plus, I'd begun cleaning the front part of the house..really cleaning....door lintels, hanging art...hoovering the crumbs from where Andy has to eat his special treaties...he likes those hard whisker lickings fish shaped things so we break them up and make a mound on the carpet..with his 1/4 tab pill buried . I don't think he knows he just snarfed up a pill ..bright boy that . Record a cpl hrs from the history channel...off to bed..dead stone worn out . Then up the next day to finish Bedrooms..I get clinically insane a this point..lets clean all of the Mardi Gras masks we've collected that are hanging up on the bedroom walls. No..they are not the cheap shit..we carefully chose them , each and every one..many are very unique and not cheap from NOLA . Then...lets clean the rest of the hanging art..especially the large pictures we bought from Huanna Glass , a local artist. By the time I am done..my house is all but staged...clean enough to satisfy my parents...and I am beat. I l ike doing it but get carried way too far off the deep end...clean all inside windows...check...wash all the drapes except the new chenille ones...check...hoover furniture...check....find tylenol...check....
Next weekend promises more of the same..get the PTU out for the boys 9 a.m. vet visit /follow up. SU is playing golf..I will be cleaning carpets and or back in the garden.
On the up side..Dr. appt tomorrow for new glasses..I am soooo stoked..plus hopefully hair before the wing ding...oh you know you will hear about that...be patient.
Take care .
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Memorial Day Weekend
I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and that we all remember what this weekend is all about. As the wife and daughter of a veteran, I do try to remember and take a moment to throw up a small prayer for all those who are serving or who have served.It is because of them that we all have the freedom to enjoy a weekend holiday and they cannot be overlooked or forgotten. My husband and I may not support this war, but we completely support the troops and their families .
Onward:
Sgt. Andy Pandapants has a bit of a medical issue right now. Last week, we noticed that he was limping a bit on his back right leg. Being an outdoor boy, he is prone to popping over the back fence and generally zooming about the yard on his patrol. In the year that we've had him ( can you BELIEVE it's been a year ?)...he's amazed us with his level of energy. While he was favoring the leg in question, SU and I determined that it wasn't broken, no open wound and only a modicum of swelling. He let his Daddy completely examine the leg and only pitched a teensy fit when his Daddy looked at the claw and pad area ..but no big hissy. So we watched it. He was able to get to his nightly Mr. Milkey and gimp around. But as the week progressed, he never got any better, so we both began to wonder if it was more than a sprain. My private fear was that there might be a sliver or something we couldn't see which could become infected. I told SU that bright and early yesterday morning that he was in fact going to throw the boy in the PTU ( prisoner transport unit ) and haul him to the VET. Did I want a vet bill..oh hell no..but better that than a worse problem later because we dropped the ball. A hundred dollars later..( yipe) the verdict was that there was some sort of inflamation of an unknown origin, an auto immune response and that this could be in response to his underlying medical issue. OR the beginning of a flare up. Oh great . Just friggan great. Jakey J had the same issue, common to Marmy's and yet Jake lived 12 years before the tumor, so I am concerned. Andy is only about a year and a half old. The vet gave us 2 oral meds and a pill..great..pillin dah kat time..oh shite. To get him to take his orals , we have to employ the baby burrito method and it's a 2 person job. I hope the Vet is wrong..say a prayer.
He's better today, and outside,. it's raining in fact and we've been calling..hrrmmp.....he'll saunter back, bedraggled and soaked.
Oh well.
SU went to the crawfish gig thrown by the Crazy Cajun and fambly yesterday. I'd intended to go but had another gum flareup that needed tending. On the mend with that..suffuce to say..it's a whole other issue when dentures are involved. SU had a ball , and brought home 3 1/2 lbs of mudbugs so it's Etoiffe ( sp...whatevs) tonight for us and the neighbor gals.
Have a safe holiday and a great week....
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Onward:
Sgt. Andy Pandapants has a bit of a medical issue right now. Last week, we noticed that he was limping a bit on his back right leg. Being an outdoor boy, he is prone to popping over the back fence and generally zooming about the yard on his patrol. In the year that we've had him ( can you BELIEVE it's been a year ?)...he's amazed us with his level of energy. While he was favoring the leg in question, SU and I determined that it wasn't broken, no open wound and only a modicum of swelling. He let his Daddy completely examine the leg and only pitched a teensy fit when his Daddy looked at the claw and pad area ..but no big hissy. So we watched it. He was able to get to his nightly Mr. Milkey and gimp around. But as the week progressed, he never got any better, so we both began to wonder if it was more than a sprain. My private fear was that there might be a sliver or something we couldn't see which could become infected. I told SU that bright and early yesterday morning that he was in fact going to throw the boy in the PTU ( prisoner transport unit ) and haul him to the VET. Did I want a vet bill..oh hell no..but better that than a worse problem later because we dropped the ball. A hundred dollars later..( yipe) the verdict was that there was some sort of inflamation of an unknown origin, an auto immune response and that this could be in response to his underlying medical issue. OR the beginning of a flare up. Oh great . Just friggan great. Jakey J had the same issue, common to Marmy's and yet Jake lived 12 years before the tumor, so I am concerned. Andy is only about a year and a half old. The vet gave us 2 oral meds and a pill..great..pillin dah kat time..oh shite. To get him to take his orals , we have to employ the baby burrito method and it's a 2 person job. I hope the Vet is wrong..say a prayer.
He's better today, and outside,. it's raining in fact and we've been calling..hrrmmp.....he'll saunter back, bedraggled and soaked.
Oh well.
SU went to the crawfish gig thrown by the Crazy Cajun and fambly yesterday. I'd intended to go but had another gum flareup that needed tending. On the mend with that..suffuce to say..it's a whole other issue when dentures are involved. SU had a ball , and brought home 3 1/2 lbs of mudbugs so it's Etoiffe ( sp...whatevs) tonight for us and the neighbor gals.
Have a safe holiday and a great week....
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Monday, May 07, 2007
I am officially OLD
This may or may not be a big thing to many, but this past Friday I hit a milestone of sorts here at the Firm .
TWENTY FIVE YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT.
Yup.
Crap, I am old. In the good old days, people didn't job hop like frogs on hot pavement in August in Texas. You stayed where you were. My father retired out of the Navy in 1976 after 25 years simply due to the erosion of his benefits as he saw it. His idea of retirement was to enter into another job and go on from there. He was also about 6 years younger than I am now, so this only adds to the deep sigh of impending senility.
In the legal field, a term of service for an non attorney person this long is rather unusual , but here most of us have been here at least 15 years of more. Dedicated or lazy , I don't know but we are still here pluggin away . For the most part we have all really grown up together, been married , divorced, re-married, had kids gotten them hopefully out of high school in one piece and into some college..married....grandkids....sigh.
If I am old , I am not the only one.
And......
I still know where the bodies are buried.
Have a great week...
Ciao,
Aunty Pol.
TWENTY FIVE YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT.
Yup.
Crap, I am old. In the good old days, people didn't job hop like frogs on hot pavement in August in Texas. You stayed where you were. My father retired out of the Navy in 1976 after 25 years simply due to the erosion of his benefits as he saw it. His idea of retirement was to enter into another job and go on from there. He was also about 6 years younger than I am now, so this only adds to the deep sigh of impending senility.
In the legal field, a term of service for an non attorney person this long is rather unusual , but here most of us have been here at least 15 years of more. Dedicated or lazy , I don't know but we are still here pluggin away . For the most part we have all really grown up together, been married , divorced, re-married, had kids gotten them hopefully out of high school in one piece and into some college..married....grandkids....sigh.
If I am old , I am not the only one.
And......
I still know where the bodies are buried.
Have a great week...
Ciao,
Aunty Pol.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Presidential Bumper Stickers
With a tip of the hat, and a wave of the paw to Daisey Mae Maus, I present the newest presidential bumper stickers coming to a car near you :
1. 1/20/09 : End of an Error .
2. Bush : Like A Rock . Only Dumber.
3. If You Can Read This , You've Not Our President.
4. Hey , Bush Supporters, Embarrassed Yet ?!!
5. America: One Nation Under Surveillance .
6. They Call Him "W" So He Can Spell It.
7. Jail To The Chief .
8. Bad President ! No Banana.
9. We Need A President Who's Fluent In At Least One Language.
10 . Where Are We Going ? And Why Are We In This Handbasket ?
11. When Bush Took Office , Gas Was $1.46 .
12. Bush Makes Quayle Look Like A Freakin' ROCKET SCIENTIST !
13. 2004 : Embarrassed ; 2005 : Horrified ; 2006 Terrified.
Buy Early, Buy Often.
Have a great Weekend.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
1. 1/20/09 : End of an Error .
2. Bush : Like A Rock . Only Dumber.
3. If You Can Read This , You've Not Our President.
4. Hey , Bush Supporters, Embarrassed Yet ?!!
5. America: One Nation Under Surveillance .
6. They Call Him "W" So He Can Spell It.
7. Jail To The Chief .
8. Bad President ! No Banana.
9. We Need A President Who's Fluent In At Least One Language.
10 . Where Are We Going ? And Why Are We In This Handbasket ?
11. When Bush Took Office , Gas Was $1.46 .
12. Bush Makes Quayle Look Like A Freakin' ROCKET SCIENTIST !
13. 2004 : Embarrassed ; 2005 : Horrified ; 2006 Terrified.
Buy Early, Buy Often.
Have a great Weekend.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
WOW
I really hadn't realized that it's been about 6 weeks since I last posted anything save the lil post on Superman ~ " Baroo ??????" . Baroo by the way is the small sound a puppy makes when they tilt their itty bitty heads sideways as if asking " WTF ? " , at least according the the folks over at " Cute Overload ." Since CO has won a Webby award or 2 , I take them at their expert word .
Anyhoo....
Earlier this year SU and I began yet another re-do of the house . This time it started with new furniture which we sorely needed . Long ago and far away , young Jedi...oops..wrong movie..LOL
SU spotted an ad for a sale at the local favorite big box corner anchor of the mall store and off we went. I came, I saw, they delivered. It always surprises him that when I am focused that I can zero in on what is right and more often the right price. I am a Commando Shopper and I have my standards, dammit.
And thus it began . New furniture, new drapes, new rugs, new lamps, new art .....and then the sudden crashing realization that OMG..we really need to re-paint. Shudder. Bear in mind that we'd been through this before and swore that we'd never do it ourselves again. We're middle aged here people...it ain't pretty . I always take the first week of April off from the Servitude so this gave me a few weeks to sort it all out. Even though I had an idea of the paint colors I wanted ( yes..more than one was involved here folks) , I still had to go to Chrome Depot and grab all the paint cards I could lay my mitts on. Ditto Lowes.
Sort, shuffle, view, choose, tape to wall, discard , lather , rinse, repeat . Choices made. Now comes the really fun part. Harvest empty boxes from Servitude to drag home . Pack all of the silver and the crystal from the china hutch. Pack and load out the floor to ceiling bookcase full of cd's, dvd's books and various krep. We must have 400 cd's. I do not lie. scads of dvds, the tapes lone gone, books..oh hell yeah. Then my collection of dragons . About 100 of them...do not ask. Each one lovingly wrapped in white tissue paper and stored in the guest room now designated the " Place where all the crap is being stored. " Down comes all the art, all the photos and portraits of the late parental units. New drapes removed, rugs rolled...4 runner size, 1 good size area and a small one for the kitteh's . Umph. Ceiling AC/Heat registers down to be repainted since they don't make those anymore. Nail holes patched, baseboards hoovered, ditto cobwebs.
Furniture draped and moved. Note....those furniture slider things are pricey but damn..grab them if you even think you need them. This was the first time I've been able to more furniture without a back spasm. I'd already asked the Moron ( not SU..the other one) about how much paint to buy. Hint..even professionals will overestimate and there are no refunds on custom tint.
If you need Ralph Lauren " Goldfinch..." call me..LOL.
Painting Day.
Good to go.
All ya'll should know that we chose latex. LMAO . Now thats a headache . There I am , coffee in hand, sort of awake, ( Z..snerk..ZZZ) and the Moron arrives. First of all , let me say that he does excellent work. He quoted me half the price he usually charged and as noted above , I bought the paint. We'd already determined that the indoor 4 would be fine, hiding in the master with food, water, and their boxes. They are bright that way..why move when we can sleep ? Andy and I camped on the patio. Read books, puttered in the yard, potted plants..good times folks, good times. The problem is that the Moron talks to himself. ALL DAMN DAY LONG. I kept thinking he was asking questions...nope... Sigh. Then his assistant arrives . First day, all the ceilings and walls are to be done...2 different colors for 2 areas . The second day, all the trim, woodwork and such.Again , 2 more colors for 2 different areas. Trust me...it all works . I didn't know that all of the prep work is something that a LOT of people don't bother with .
Duhr ??????
Finally done.
And paid for...except for the new furniture and that's gonna be soon.
Well hells bells. Since the furniture is all moved.." Lets Clean Carpet." I am biologically unable to sit at home on vacation without multiple projects of some sort. Clean cupboards, drawers, closets, carpet..you name it..I am so there on it. Of course it took 2 more days to re-load the room ( yes, I know, too much HGTV) but it was done. I finally found new material for the dining room chair seats and that is done....thank you Lord.
Next up...the kitchen.
It's all great and grand and yes, I am making the effort to not smoke in the house...
I was glad..almost...glad to come back to work.
Some folks travel for vacation.....we remodel/re-do.
Sigh.
Correspondence will be caught up..I promise.
Be safe and happy.
Ciao
Aunty Pol
Anyhoo....
Earlier this year SU and I began yet another re-do of the house . This time it started with new furniture which we sorely needed . Long ago and far away , young Jedi...oops..wrong movie..LOL
SU spotted an ad for a sale at the local favorite big box corner anchor of the mall store and off we went. I came, I saw, they delivered. It always surprises him that when I am focused that I can zero in on what is right and more often the right price. I am a Commando Shopper and I have my standards, dammit.
And thus it began . New furniture, new drapes, new rugs, new lamps, new art .....and then the sudden crashing realization that OMG..we really need to re-paint. Shudder. Bear in mind that we'd been through this before and swore that we'd never do it ourselves again. We're middle aged here people...it ain't pretty . I always take the first week of April off from the Servitude so this gave me a few weeks to sort it all out. Even though I had an idea of the paint colors I wanted ( yes..more than one was involved here folks) , I still had to go to Chrome Depot and grab all the paint cards I could lay my mitts on. Ditto Lowes.
Sort, shuffle, view, choose, tape to wall, discard , lather , rinse, repeat . Choices made. Now comes the really fun part. Harvest empty boxes from Servitude to drag home . Pack all of the silver and the crystal from the china hutch. Pack and load out the floor to ceiling bookcase full of cd's, dvd's books and various krep. We must have 400 cd's. I do not lie. scads of dvds, the tapes lone gone, books..oh hell yeah. Then my collection of dragons . About 100 of them...do not ask. Each one lovingly wrapped in white tissue paper and stored in the guest room now designated the " Place where all the crap is being stored. " Down comes all the art, all the photos and portraits of the late parental units. New drapes removed, rugs rolled...4 runner size, 1 good size area and a small one for the kitteh's . Umph. Ceiling AC/Heat registers down to be repainted since they don't make those anymore. Nail holes patched, baseboards hoovered, ditto cobwebs.
Furniture draped and moved. Note....those furniture slider things are pricey but damn..grab them if you even think you need them. This was the first time I've been able to more furniture without a back spasm. I'd already asked the Moron ( not SU..the other one) about how much paint to buy. Hint..even professionals will overestimate and there are no refunds on custom tint.
If you need Ralph Lauren " Goldfinch..." call me..LOL.
Painting Day.
Good to go.
All ya'll should know that we chose latex. LMAO . Now thats a headache . There I am , coffee in hand, sort of awake, ( Z..snerk..ZZZ) and the Moron arrives. First of all , let me say that he does excellent work. He quoted me half the price he usually charged and as noted above , I bought the paint. We'd already determined that the indoor 4 would be fine, hiding in the master with food, water, and their boxes. They are bright that way..why move when we can sleep ? Andy and I camped on the patio. Read books, puttered in the yard, potted plants..good times folks, good times. The problem is that the Moron talks to himself. ALL DAMN DAY LONG. I kept thinking he was asking questions...nope... Sigh. Then his assistant arrives . First day, all the ceilings and walls are to be done...2 different colors for 2 areas . The second day, all the trim, woodwork and such.Again , 2 more colors for 2 different areas. Trust me...it all works . I didn't know that all of the prep work is something that a LOT of people don't bother with .
Duhr ??????
Finally done.
And paid for...except for the new furniture and that's gonna be soon.
Well hells bells. Since the furniture is all moved.." Lets Clean Carpet." I am biologically unable to sit at home on vacation without multiple projects of some sort. Clean cupboards, drawers, closets, carpet..you name it..I am so there on it. Of course it took 2 more days to re-load the room ( yes, I know, too much HGTV) but it was done. I finally found new material for the dining room chair seats and that is done....thank you Lord.
Next up...the kitchen.
It's all great and grand and yes, I am making the effort to not smoke in the house...
I was glad..almost...glad to come back to work.
Some folks travel for vacation.....we remodel/re-do.
Sigh.
Correspondence will be caught up..I promise.
Be safe and happy.
Ciao
Aunty Pol
BAROOOO ????????????????????????
This was in todays local paper .
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Associated Press
London
" A mineral discovered in Serbia has the same composition as kryptonite - the fictional substance that robs Superman of his powers - the British Museum said today . While the material is not a perfect match , its chemical breakdown is strikingly similar.
A drill core of the unusual mineral was unearthed in Serbia by a mining group which turned it over to mineral expert Chris Stanley at the Natural History Museum for analysis .
Stanley searched the Internet using the minerals chemical formula , sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide and discovered that the same scientific name used in the film " Superman Returns " .
The white powdery material - not green crystals - will be named Jadarite."
WTF Over ?
Unless I missed something..Superman was and is fiction. Now , Lord knows that I love " Smallville," just friggan love it. Love the camp, the cute and especially the Magnificent Bastard , aka Papa Luthor . But folks...it's still fiction .
Personally, I am waiting for the discovery of a decent spice blow and melange harvest...heh .
I got yer family atomics right here bucko.
Shai Halud.
Have a great and safe week.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol .
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Associated Press
London
" A mineral discovered in Serbia has the same composition as kryptonite - the fictional substance that robs Superman of his powers - the British Museum said today . While the material is not a perfect match , its chemical breakdown is strikingly similar.
A drill core of the unusual mineral was unearthed in Serbia by a mining group which turned it over to mineral expert Chris Stanley at the Natural History Museum for analysis .
Stanley searched the Internet using the minerals chemical formula , sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide and discovered that the same scientific name used in the film " Superman Returns " .
The white powdery material - not green crystals - will be named Jadarite."
WTF Over ?
Unless I missed something..Superman was and is fiction. Now , Lord knows that I love " Smallville," just friggan love it. Love the camp, the cute and especially the Magnificent Bastard , aka Papa Luthor . But folks...it's still fiction .
Personally, I am waiting for the discovery of a decent spice blow and melange harvest...heh .
I got yer family atomics right here bucko.
Shai Halud.
Have a great and safe week.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol .
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
WOW
As is the norm in Casa de Swamp things the more things change, the more they stay the same. SU 's weekly card game has moved from Thursday night to Monday .
What evs.
Personally , I could give a rip , but after a lack of this social outlet due to holidays, rodeo and Mardi Gras ( hey..we take our social gigs serious down here) , him being underfoot at home was pushing ol Pol here to just about the friggan limit .
Anyhoo....
As always I ask how the Crazy Cajun, spouse and tax deduction are. These folks are SU's best cohorts, chums and pals, and I care very much about them . Reply..the usual . Mama CC is going to have a friend staying with them......again....... for a while as her job at a school in the Valley has ended....trust me...do not ask the CC about it. Both Crazy Cajun and his ever lovin come from a large family so this is sorta normal . As in SU's family , when ever there is a hootenanny ( whole lotta hoot and a lil bit nanny) I swear these guys need name tags. When ever they see us the Crazy Cajun's family will ALWAYS ask if SU and I are still married.
They know him.
Then SU happens to mention that today is Crazy and Mama CC's wedding anniversary.
Me: " Kewl".
Him : " Yep" .
Me : " How long ?"
Him " Ummm..verbal scratching of the noggin here ....ummmm 23 or 25 years."
Me : " Hon...how old is tax deduction ?"
Him : " Umm...errr...ummmmm."
Me : " Isn't he about 22 0r 23 now ? "
Him : " Yup."
Me : " Then , I guess they have been married 25 years."
Him : " Sounds about right ."
Ah yes, the scintillating commuter conversations we engage in.
Then later on the oddest thought occurred to me....oh shut it.....it does happen. But this is the funny part. SU and I have both been married before so when we were first married, it seemed all of our cohorts, chums and pals had been married much longer. Bearing in mind that thus was not SU's and my first time at the rodeo, they refrained from that idiotic yet well meant phase of " Giving Advice."
But now, I realized that most of our friends and dear ones have been married at least 25 years or better. SU and I have been together 20 and married as of December 2007 for 19 years. This rather belies the statistic that most marriages krep out after 7 to 10 years.
WOW.
Most of what used to bug us old married farts is no longer the drama we once thought. After a while , you tend to dismiss stuff with the idea that if it ain't dead or at least bleeding...move the F on. I refuse to give advice to the young ones that I know. They will find their own way as we all do . They are entitled to make as many errors and F ups as the rest of us....they will work it out. I have found that as a general rule, when some one asks for advice, what they are really doing is asking you to take their side, or back their point of view....and that is always a 5'th point of contact....trust Pol here.
Have a GREAT week..........we all deserve it .
Ciao,
Aunty Pol.
What evs.
Personally , I could give a rip , but after a lack of this social outlet due to holidays, rodeo and Mardi Gras ( hey..we take our social gigs serious down here) , him being underfoot at home was pushing ol Pol here to just about the friggan limit .
Anyhoo....
As always I ask how the Crazy Cajun, spouse and tax deduction are. These folks are SU's best cohorts, chums and pals, and I care very much about them . Reply..the usual . Mama CC is going to have a friend staying with them......again....... for a while as her job at a school in the Valley has ended....trust me...do not ask the CC about it. Both Crazy Cajun and his ever lovin come from a large family so this is sorta normal . As in SU's family , when ever there is a hootenanny ( whole lotta hoot and a lil bit nanny) I swear these guys need name tags. When ever they see us the Crazy Cajun's family will ALWAYS ask if SU and I are still married.
They know him.
Then SU happens to mention that today is Crazy and Mama CC's wedding anniversary.
Me: " Kewl".
Him : " Yep" .
Me : " How long ?"
Him " Ummm..verbal scratching of the noggin here ....ummmm 23 or 25 years."
Me : " Hon...how old is tax deduction ?"
Him : " Umm...errr...ummmmm."
Me : " Isn't he about 22 0r 23 now ? "
Him : " Yup."
Me : " Then , I guess they have been married 25 years."
Him : " Sounds about right ."
Ah yes, the scintillating commuter conversations we engage in.
Then later on the oddest thought occurred to me....oh shut it.....it does happen. But this is the funny part. SU and I have both been married before so when we were first married, it seemed all of our cohorts, chums and pals had been married much longer. Bearing in mind that thus was not SU's and my first time at the rodeo, they refrained from that idiotic yet well meant phase of " Giving Advice."
But now, I realized that most of our friends and dear ones have been married at least 25 years or better. SU and I have been together 20 and married as of December 2007 for 19 years. This rather belies the statistic that most marriages krep out after 7 to 10 years.
WOW.
Most of what used to bug us old married farts is no longer the drama we once thought. After a while , you tend to dismiss stuff with the idea that if it ain't dead or at least bleeding...move the F on. I refuse to give advice to the young ones that I know. They will find their own way as we all do . They are entitled to make as many errors and F ups as the rest of us....they will work it out. I have found that as a general rule, when some one asks for advice, what they are really doing is asking you to take their side, or back their point of view....and that is always a 5'th point of contact....trust Pol here.
Have a GREAT week..........we all deserve it .
Ciao,
Aunty Pol.
Friday, March 09, 2007
RIP Wilberforce Clayton Humphries
Sadly, today one of the most overlooked and underrated of British actors died at the age of 71. Best known as Wilberforce Clayton Humphries, John Inman in many ways was the heart and soul of " Are You Being Served." His portrayal often acted as the perfect counterpoint to such characters as Captain Peacock and Molly Suggins classic Mrs. Slocombe . Those of us who are lucky enough to see this show on PBS were often entranced by the sheer joy that these characters gave us. In the purest sense , the comedy was both slapstick and a very pointed view of the classic British class system and economy. Each character had a sense of their own backstory and yet they clearly conveyed the sense that they honestly cared for each other, in character or in real life.
You are finally free Mr . Humphries...FREE.........
Have a splendid weekend, we all deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
You are finally free Mr . Humphries...FREE.........
Have a splendid weekend, we all deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Spring is here ~ sorta.
LOL.
I love this city for more reasons that I have time to list and all y'all to read. We've had a few glorious days of early spring, aka mid 70's . This is precious to us since for the most part we tend to greet visitors with " Welcome to Singapore ." Hey...Dad thought it was funny .
Anyhoo..along with Mardi Gras, we have all of the trail riders that mount up for the rodeo. These guys and gals are amazing, it's a real trail ride y'all, not some whiny ass Yankee going , " What do you mean Ralph Lauren doesn't make the proper riding boots ?" Ahem...wrong gear, saddle, seat and party there bucko . And today , as usual, it's clouding up .
Bear in mind , in some ways this is a blessing in disguise for ol Pol here . When the weather first gets nice, the NG's and I get that look that SU fears. Eye's glazed over, we browse the garden center ads. Plotting out planting and calculating the actual precise amount of mulch we will all need. The answer to that by the way is more than we bought. Usually by this time of the year all of the crepes ( crepe myrtles to la touristas ) are pruned. The Biskits ( Hibiscus ) are leggy so they get immediate surgery and we wait on the roses since it is not unknown to get one last cold blast here . I have to be careful as I personally will go nuts and try to trim all of the roses in one weekend . Then Mr. Back Spasm pays a call. At the last count we are down to about 25 rose bushes , so I hope to get it done soon . Some have been replaced, some not .
Then there are the weeds.
Dear Lord, the weeds.
I can bear anything but the thrice damned Bermuda grass. It is the bane of my existence and I will prevail..wait and see. Maintaining the beds is not the issue. I can do that . I am good about deadheading and keeping all of the pots on the patio in good shape. It's just getting to that stage.
SU says that I am right on schedule..all of the catalogs are coming in the mail . and people wonder about my birthday gift choice , for example :
Him: " Honey , given any thought to your birthday gift?"
Me: " Um..nope."
Him : " Any ideas ?"
Me : " Yeah ."
Him: " Care to share ?"
Me : " Mulch."
Ah, the glamerous life of a homeowner.
We're half way through the week kids, have a safe and happy weekend.
You deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
I love this city for more reasons that I have time to list and all y'all to read. We've had a few glorious days of early spring, aka mid 70's . This is precious to us since for the most part we tend to greet visitors with " Welcome to Singapore ." Hey...Dad thought it was funny .
Anyhoo..along with Mardi Gras, we have all of the trail riders that mount up for the rodeo. These guys and gals are amazing, it's a real trail ride y'all, not some whiny ass Yankee going , " What do you mean Ralph Lauren doesn't make the proper riding boots ?" Ahem...wrong gear, saddle, seat and party there bucko . And today , as usual, it's clouding up .
Bear in mind , in some ways this is a blessing in disguise for ol Pol here . When the weather first gets nice, the NG's and I get that look that SU fears. Eye's glazed over, we browse the garden center ads. Plotting out planting and calculating the actual precise amount of mulch we will all need. The answer to that by the way is more than we bought. Usually by this time of the year all of the crepes ( crepe myrtles to la touristas ) are pruned. The Biskits ( Hibiscus ) are leggy so they get immediate surgery and we wait on the roses since it is not unknown to get one last cold blast here . I have to be careful as I personally will go nuts and try to trim all of the roses in one weekend . Then Mr. Back Spasm pays a call. At the last count we are down to about 25 rose bushes , so I hope to get it done soon . Some have been replaced, some not .
Then there are the weeds.
Dear Lord, the weeds.
I can bear anything but the thrice damned Bermuda grass. It is the bane of my existence and I will prevail..wait and see. Maintaining the beds is not the issue. I can do that . I am good about deadheading and keeping all of the pots on the patio in good shape. It's just getting to that stage.
SU says that I am right on schedule..all of the catalogs are coming in the mail . and people wonder about my birthday gift choice , for example :
Him: " Honey , given any thought to your birthday gift?"
Me: " Um..nope."
Him : " Any ideas ?"
Me : " Yeah ."
Him: " Care to share ?"
Me : " Mulch."
Ah, the glamerous life of a homeowner.
We're half way through the week kids, have a safe and happy weekend.
You deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Monday, February 26, 2007
Enough is enough.
Sigh.
I never thought I'd hear the SU and I say this but.......
There is no freaking way that we are going to pay what they want for tickets to JB .
True or False :
1. We are die hard Parrotheads.
2. He hasn't been here in three or 4 years.
3. We never , ever , miss his show.
4. We have ALL the cd's.
5. SU remembers when he opened for Jerry Jeff Walker.
6. SU remembers when he played Liberty Hall.
7. Even Dad knew who he is.
All true.
That being said, he is coming here to perform April 21 at Minute Maid Park, aka the Ball Park. Yeah. The Ball Park. Now , in previous years he played at Little House with a Pavillion . We always bought hill side seats..have old quilt..will travel. If you have ever seen video of his concerts, yes, SU and I are among those on the hill sides dancing and singing our little brains out.
WE KNOW ALL THE WORDS Y'ALL .
According to the paper, tickets are either $86.00 or $126.00 PER TICKET.
You heard me.
And there is a limit of 8 tickets per sale. Lets do the math here . Eight of the cheap ones comes to ....$688.00 . Eight of the finest kind comes to ....$1,024.00.
Plus sales tax.
Plus service charges.
I know , I know, SU and I are only two people. So the cheap seats would set us back $172.00 .
Plus sales tax.
Plus service charges.
Better seats would be $252.00 .
Plus sales tax.
Plus service charges.
Minute Maid park is built for baseball.
Lather, rinse , repeat.
Baseball.
I can only imagine what the acoustics or lack thereof will sound like. Not to mention the visuals.
Bear in mind that SU and I are two middle aged old farts , so it is a given that we don't see really well. Blind as a bat comes to mind. If I am going to pay that sort of loot, I want to see the thrice damn'd stage. With our fabulous luck, we get the nose bleed seats where the free gift with purchase is oxygen and a mask .
Let's not even discuss the price of a beverage or munchies.
Believe it or not, when we would go to see Da man, I'd be the one not drinking, ....AT ALL. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the last person you want to see trying to make her way to the porta john............IN THE DARK . All of our friends know this and are used to it.
I don't have clue one what promoters are thinking . It's not that we cannot afford the tickets ....WE CAN.
I just simply refuse to pander to this form of being completely ripped off.
Even by you Jimmy....even by you.
Have a great week.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol.
Update:
According to this mornings paper, the ballpark is going to allow "tailgating " for the first time. Big Woop . Parrotheads will tailgate, allowed or not. The PT's have decided that they will sell parking spots for said gating. Each car spot is $50.00 or $75.00 a throw. If you have an RV , you gas hog you, a spot will set you back $75.00 per spot.
Yeesh.
Just another reason the SU and I are not only " No" but "HELL NO".
I never thought I'd hear the SU and I say this but.......
There is no freaking way that we are going to pay what they want for tickets to JB .
True or False :
1. We are die hard Parrotheads.
2. He hasn't been here in three or 4 years.
3. We never , ever , miss his show.
4. We have ALL the cd's.
5. SU remembers when he opened for Jerry Jeff Walker.
6. SU remembers when he played Liberty Hall.
7. Even Dad knew who he is.
All true.
That being said, he is coming here to perform April 21 at Minute Maid Park, aka the Ball Park. Yeah. The Ball Park. Now , in previous years he played at Little House with a Pavillion . We always bought hill side seats..have old quilt..will travel. If you have ever seen video of his concerts, yes, SU and I are among those on the hill sides dancing and singing our little brains out.
WE KNOW ALL THE WORDS Y'ALL .
According to the paper, tickets are either $86.00 or $126.00 PER TICKET.
You heard me.
And there is a limit of 8 tickets per sale. Lets do the math here . Eight of the cheap ones comes to ....$688.00 . Eight of the finest kind comes to ....$1,024.00.
Plus sales tax.
Plus service charges.
I know , I know, SU and I are only two people. So the cheap seats would set us back $172.00 .
Plus sales tax.
Plus service charges.
Better seats would be $252.00 .
Plus sales tax.
Plus service charges.
Minute Maid park is built for baseball.
Lather, rinse , repeat.
Baseball.
I can only imagine what the acoustics or lack thereof will sound like. Not to mention the visuals.
Bear in mind that SU and I are two middle aged old farts , so it is a given that we don't see really well. Blind as a bat comes to mind. If I am going to pay that sort of loot, I want to see the thrice damn'd stage. With our fabulous luck, we get the nose bleed seats where the free gift with purchase is oxygen and a mask .
Let's not even discuss the price of a beverage or munchies.
Believe it or not, when we would go to see Da man, I'd be the one not drinking, ....AT ALL. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the last person you want to see trying to make her way to the porta john............IN THE DARK . All of our friends know this and are used to it.
I don't have clue one what promoters are thinking . It's not that we cannot afford the tickets ....WE CAN.
I just simply refuse to pander to this form of being completely ripped off.
Even by you Jimmy....even by you.
Have a great week.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol.
Update:
According to this mornings paper, the ballpark is going to allow "tailgating " for the first time. Big Woop . Parrotheads will tailgate, allowed or not. The PT's have decided that they will sell parking spots for said gating. Each car spot is $50.00 or $75.00 a throw. If you have an RV , you gas hog you, a spot will set you back $75.00 per spot.
Yeesh.
Just another reason the SU and I are not only " No" but "HELL NO".
Friday, February 23, 2007
TGIF Y'all
Happy freaking Friday .
It's been an interesting day here . I always get such a chuckle out of " Go Texan Day" here in the city. It is time for the 75'th Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , so of course all sorts of OMG..he/she is actually wearing THAT >????????? goes without saying .
In all fairness, the HLSR does a hell of a lot in the way of providing monies for scholarships to deserving kids in FFA and such groups . These kids pour blood , sweat and tears into raising and showing their animals for this one event. These kids are all good kids, dedicated to the responsibility of caring for their animals and bust their lil butts in the process. Besides, the baby animals in the pens and the petting areas are just soooo damn...." Awwwwww", that you can't help it.
On the other hand, wild herds of Buckle Bunnies are in their annual migration and so without further ado, I give you Aunty Pol's PSA .
" Be on the alert for the wild Buckle Bunny. This migratory nocturnal creature moves in small numbers in seemingly random patterns . Do not let their hap hazzard movement create a sense of false security. Once they have spotted and marked their prey they will risk life and solar/acrylic nail to bring down their chosen target . They choose their protective coloring with great care and may be identified by their distinctive bedazzled patterns. These patterns may serve as a method of blinding their victims. This tactic is commonly known as either being " Beer Goggled " or more commonly , " Bambi In The Headlights ".
Consider Yourselves Warned.
Have a great weekend...you deserve it.
Ciao and Adios
Aunty Pol.
It's been an interesting day here . I always get such a chuckle out of " Go Texan Day" here in the city. It is time for the 75'th Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo , so of course all sorts of OMG..he/she is actually wearing THAT >????????? goes without saying .
In all fairness, the HLSR does a hell of a lot in the way of providing monies for scholarships to deserving kids in FFA and such groups . These kids pour blood , sweat and tears into raising and showing their animals for this one event. These kids are all good kids, dedicated to the responsibility of caring for their animals and bust their lil butts in the process. Besides, the baby animals in the pens and the petting areas are just soooo damn...." Awwwwww", that you can't help it.
On the other hand, wild herds of Buckle Bunnies are in their annual migration and so without further ado, I give you Aunty Pol's PSA .
" Be on the alert for the wild Buckle Bunny. This migratory nocturnal creature moves in small numbers in seemingly random patterns . Do not let their hap hazzard movement create a sense of false security. Once they have spotted and marked their prey they will risk life and solar/acrylic nail to bring down their chosen target . They choose their protective coloring with great care and may be identified by their distinctive bedazzled patterns. These patterns may serve as a method of blinding their victims. This tactic is commonly known as either being " Beer Goggled " or more commonly , " Bambi In The Headlights ".
Consider Yourselves Warned.
Have a great weekend...you deserve it.
Ciao and Adios
Aunty Pol.
Monday, February 19, 2007
New Grandma
Woo Hoo .
I just got in touch with my oldest and dearest gal pal and found out they are grandparents.
OMG.
Girl, it's official .
We are middle-aged.
LOL .
She and I go way the hell back, to 8'th grade biology class actually . Hard to believe it's almost 40 years .
Sigh.
More to follow.
Have a great week , we all deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
I just got in touch with my oldest and dearest gal pal and found out they are grandparents.
OMG.
Girl, it's official .
We are middle-aged.
LOL .
She and I go way the hell back, to 8'th grade biology class actually . Hard to believe it's almost 40 years .
Sigh.
More to follow.
Have a great week , we all deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Viewer Alert..Stoopid Bowl Sunday
If any of you are like Aunty Pol and couldn't give a rats ass about the Stoopid Bowl except for the commercials....Reminder:
Check your local listings for the Animal Planet Schedule. That's right...It's time for Puppy Bowl and the Kitten Half Time Show !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wheeeee
Now that's what I call entertainment !
Boo Yah !
Have a great weekend..I know you can do it if you try.
Aunty Pol
Check your local listings for the Animal Planet Schedule. That's right...It's time for Puppy Bowl and the Kitten Half Time Show !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wheeeee
Now that's what I call entertainment !
Boo Yah !
Have a great weekend..I know you can do it if you try.
Aunty Pol
Adios Chica
One of the nicest gals I have ever known is flying the coop. She is a paragon and a paradox among her profession . An attorney with a heart, a soul and a sense of humor. I've been in this racket , oops " professional atmosphere " , for 25 years now which is more or less half of this old gal's life . Miss Wendy is that contradiction that is the rarest of rare, a nice gal . Too often in this elitist mens club they call the Law, you are doomed to toil away for those who must retain their power at the expense of others. The petty , the vain, the arrogant and completely abusive . It is the nature of the beast and the sooner you accept that the better off you are. Wishing for a brighter day or justice or a voice of reason is a complete and utter waste of time. The powers that be are just that and you ain't them , not by a long shot.
And yet....
There are those who value the quality of their life as opposed to the quanity of their posessions . They see that a kind word has value on it's own, that most folks are decent sorts given half a chance and that helping others is an obligation ...not a punishment . She is one of those . She has chosen to go to where the Bluebonnets are going to bloom, where the pace is less manic and where the quiet of a spring day is as glorious as any music ever recorded.
You will be missed more than you know my sister .
Be as happy as you can be, you will always be one of the good guys ..or gals as it were.
Adios Mi Amiga
Aunty Pol
And yet....
There are those who value the quality of their life as opposed to the quanity of their posessions . They see that a kind word has value on it's own, that most folks are decent sorts given half a chance and that helping others is an obligation ...not a punishment . She is one of those . She has chosen to go to where the Bluebonnets are going to bloom, where the pace is less manic and where the quiet of a spring day is as glorious as any music ever recorded.
You will be missed more than you know my sister .
Be as happy as you can be, you will always be one of the good guys ..or gals as it were.
Adios Mi Amiga
Aunty Pol
Requiem For A Rabblerouser
A personal heroine of mine passed away yesterday. I personally think she would have cared less about my use of the feminine in referring to her , as opposed to the more plebeian hero . I , on the other hand think it is underused and more than appropriate . I have always used the phrase ," I am easily seduced by a clever phrase," and she was one of my major flirts. She never used a five dollar word when simplicity accomplished the same result, and yet her wit was razor sharp to the end . Her public courage in the face of her illness was both heartbreaking and inspiring . She had little if any use for vanity and was fearless in showing the world the effects that her treatment bestowed upon her . Her theory was that of Cancer was going to try to kick her ass , she'd by Gawd kick back and take names . She claimed to have been born in " East Texas", and technically she would be stretching the truth . She was born in California but raised in River Oaks . River Oaks is to East Texas as Beverly Hills is to California. She couldn't have cared less about where a person was from, it was who they were and where they were headed that interested her more. She went to Smith as did her mother and yet never succumbed to the elite ideals that form the perfect Tri Delt or Alpha Phi . She understood that it was okay to be a liberal, to think out side the mainstream and was an advocate for pointing out the Emperor's lack of clothes when most would have demurred. Given the political climate and the gender bias of her early career, she is all the more remarkable for having stuck to her guns. Some politicians have permanent nicknames due to her and yet she had the grace and decency to always distinguish between the politician and the political office he or she held.
On a daily basis, somewhere where there are women gathered, someone is always designated the group's " Smart Ass", armed with a sharp tongue and a pithy reply. She is considered a Parton Saint of the " Smart Ass " , and shall be forever missed by this Smart Ass.
Rest In Peace Molly Ivins.
You may be assured that those who continue to call a dipstick a dipstick will always be there ready with a remark, a reply or a retort. We will call a spade a spade and a shrub a shrub . If those fail, we still have the cadre of cuss words in our verbal stockpile you were not above using when needed....even for the hell of it.
You have always been a heroine to me and shall continue to be one of my many " Gal's who made me laugh my ass off."
Say " Howdy" to Miss Ann when you see her.
Happy Trails
Aunty Pol
On a daily basis, somewhere where there are women gathered, someone is always designated the group's " Smart Ass", armed with a sharp tongue and a pithy reply. She is considered a Parton Saint of the " Smart Ass " , and shall be forever missed by this Smart Ass.
Rest In Peace Molly Ivins.
You may be assured that those who continue to call a dipstick a dipstick will always be there ready with a remark, a reply or a retort. We will call a spade a spade and a shrub a shrub . If those fail, we still have the cadre of cuss words in our verbal stockpile you were not above using when needed....even for the hell of it.
You have always been a heroine to me and shall continue to be one of my many " Gal's who made me laugh my ass off."
Say " Howdy" to Miss Ann when you see her.
Happy Trails
Aunty Pol
Friday, January 26, 2007
TGIF
For as long as I can remember, I have this weird thing that happens when I wake up. I hear a song in my head. Sometimes it's a portent of the way the day is going to go. Sometimes , it's a left over part of a dream, you know the kind. You remember the fact that you dreamed but not a lot of the dream itself . Sometimes it's an emotional response to something going on in my world . Sometimes it's just there.
It can be almost anything . I have to be careful who I tell, like Nee Nee for example . I can mention it to her and then she's got it stuck in her head all day. The gift that keeps on giving.
Todays song is.......
Wait for it......
Wait.....
" Hellraiser " by Ozzy Osbourne.
Yup.
Old Pol is a die hard Ozzy fan, one of the original Black Sabbath fans. I first heard them on their first U.S. tour in Virginia with an old and first crush, Jim Minerd.
OMG..I haven't thought about Jim Minerd in eons.
And that was 1970 0r 1971.
EEK.
On the homefront:
I FREAKING LOVE THE NEW FURNITURE...LOL..Obsess Much ??
The Kitteh's have decided that they also luv the new furniture. Even Boshi, the shy one came out last night while SU was over at the crazy Cajun's to play cards. Moi...happy as a clam watching " Smallville ( Yeah..cameo from the Martian Manhunter...that F'g rocks people !!!) , and then CSI. Gawd Liv Schreiber ( sp) is yummy....sigh.
Focus Pol....focus.
Anyhoo, there is the Baby Girl sitting in the middle of the sofa like it's a throne. Not on the side..not scrunched down like " You don't see me...I'm not here." More like ..."I am ready to be adored, notice my perfection. " I guess they all like the texture of the fabric and it's been almost a week so they have put their paw of approval on it.
Yes.
They run the house .
And they know it.
The Other Obsession.....My RPG..
I can't believe that we have been playing together for either four or five years now.
Once again it seems that the web host that we are using is being a total butt hole and so we are gonna pack it up and move to yet another host.
I guess for all the noobs/virgins, I had better explain. An RPG is a " Role Playing Game. Right now WOW or World Of Warcraft is an uber popular multi - player game on the 'net. Just as " EverQuest" had dominated the genre a few years ago WOW is the cat's ass right now.
And then there is my lil tribe . " Dune , War Of Assassins " or as we call it " WOA 3.0 " ...hee hee. We started off on the old SciFi channel board, but that blew up..long story..don't ask. Our fearless leader IM'd a few of us die hards about joining a new game..."Oh Hell to the Yeah". The game itself has had various titles over the years, and the same core group of 20 or so people from all over. Two are in Australia. One is in Warsaw. Three of us are in Texas. There are a couple of Canadians, a couple of Brits, a Dane or two.
But, we aren't World of Warcraft. We play a game based on "Dune " by Frank Herbert.
Yeah...we are those people.
I have played as a Major House of the Landsraad. I have run the Bene Gesserit faction. I have been Governor of Arrakis. I am know by one and all as one mean mofo who you do not cross , unless you want to be assassinated or have all your Melange stolen or blown up.
And yet, I know all of these people. Their real life names and phone numbers and where they live. I suspect one chum will be coming over from the UK again this year and will crash at Casa de Swamp . I look forward to the political discussion that Roger and SU have. These are the people who kept me sane when my father died. I was there in turn when Lone' s father passed away. We've shared births, deaths and new pet additions or losses. When we have to move the site we patiently wait or Im each other with barbs, puns and an occasional dirty limmerick . I trust them with my life, have welcomed them into our home and value what they have given me.
But I swear if CT tries to poison me again...mwahahahah.
Fear Me.
Ciao
Have a Great Weekend.
ISST
Aunty Pol
It can be almost anything . I have to be careful who I tell, like Nee Nee for example . I can mention it to her and then she's got it stuck in her head all day. The gift that keeps on giving.
Todays song is.......
Wait for it......
Wait.....
" Hellraiser " by Ozzy Osbourne.
Yup.
Old Pol is a die hard Ozzy fan, one of the original Black Sabbath fans. I first heard them on their first U.S. tour in Virginia with an old and first crush, Jim Minerd.
OMG..I haven't thought about Jim Minerd in eons.
And that was 1970 0r 1971.
EEK.
On the homefront:
I FREAKING LOVE THE NEW FURNITURE...LOL..Obsess Much ??
The Kitteh's have decided that they also luv the new furniture. Even Boshi, the shy one came out last night while SU was over at the crazy Cajun's to play cards. Moi...happy as a clam watching " Smallville ( Yeah..cameo from the Martian Manhunter...that F'g rocks people !!!) , and then CSI. Gawd Liv Schreiber ( sp) is yummy....sigh.
Focus Pol....focus.
Anyhoo, there is the Baby Girl sitting in the middle of the sofa like it's a throne. Not on the side..not scrunched down like " You don't see me...I'm not here." More like ..."I am ready to be adored, notice my perfection. " I guess they all like the texture of the fabric and it's been almost a week so they have put their paw of approval on it.
Yes.
They run the house .
And they know it.
The Other Obsession.....My RPG..
I can't believe that we have been playing together for either four or five years now.
Once again it seems that the web host that we are using is being a total butt hole and so we are gonna pack it up and move to yet another host.
I guess for all the noobs/virgins, I had better explain. An RPG is a " Role Playing Game. Right now WOW or World Of Warcraft is an uber popular multi - player game on the 'net. Just as " EverQuest" had dominated the genre a few years ago WOW is the cat's ass right now.
And then there is my lil tribe . " Dune , War Of Assassins " or as we call it " WOA 3.0 " ...hee hee. We started off on the old SciFi channel board, but that blew up..long story..don't ask. Our fearless leader IM'd a few of us die hards about joining a new game..."Oh Hell to the Yeah". The game itself has had various titles over the years, and the same core group of 20 or so people from all over. Two are in Australia. One is in Warsaw. Three of us are in Texas. There are a couple of Canadians, a couple of Brits, a Dane or two.
But, we aren't World of Warcraft. We play a game based on "Dune " by Frank Herbert.
Yeah...we are those people.
I have played as a Major House of the Landsraad. I have run the Bene Gesserit faction. I have been Governor of Arrakis. I am know by one and all as one mean mofo who you do not cross , unless you want to be assassinated or have all your Melange stolen or blown up.
And yet, I know all of these people. Their real life names and phone numbers and where they live. I suspect one chum will be coming over from the UK again this year and will crash at Casa de Swamp . I look forward to the political discussion that Roger and SU have. These are the people who kept me sane when my father died. I was there in turn when Lone' s father passed away. We've shared births, deaths and new pet additions or losses. When we have to move the site we patiently wait or Im each other with barbs, puns and an occasional dirty limmerick . I trust them with my life, have welcomed them into our home and value what they have given me.
But I swear if CT tries to poison me again...mwahahahah.
Fear Me.
Ciao
Have a Great Weekend.
ISST
Aunty Pol
Thursday, January 25, 2007
What the..??????
My left eye was a tad itchy the day before yesterday , great I thought.." A Stye." My father was very prone to these to the point that he'd had the vast majority of his eye lashes removed . Yes. Removed. " A guy thing", concluded all of the females I have shared this with . True that. I got used to the fact that my father looked like a Komodo Dragon at times when he blinked which was funnier than hell...especially after I'd told him this fact.
But I digress.
I threw out my eyemakeup, having learned to keep a new set of sterile intact replacements handy. I always use a clean washcloth to clean my face. Every night. I buy the cheapest ones I can get that are white and bleach them, and no..not even bleach will get some of the makeup residue off the cloth...which begs the question..ewww...my skin ? I have been using a mineral makeup for about a year and a half and am quite pleased , so there are choices out there. I use cetaphil to cleanse and a good toner. I use a good eyecream and cetaphil as a moisture cream. I don't spend money on fancy shit. So why the hell was my left eye..only the left mind you swollen yesterday ? Not quite shut, but Jeebus....! SU could see the swelling without his glasses and he is truely blind as a bat. I look like I've been sucker punched. I'd use this as a joke at the office , except for :
1. Not Funny
2. Been there in real life aka marriage # 1.
3. See #'s 1 and 2.
People have been doing a double take at the office..hee hee...but they don't know what to say and for this bunch, that it odd in itself. I know many gals that go sans Max Factor and good for them. I am not one of them ...trust me here.
I feel Nekkid.
Please let the eye clear up. Failing that...any one know where I can get a good Parrothead Eye Patch ?
ISST
Have a good week, we all deserve it
One Eyed Aunty Pol....Arrrrr Matey
But I digress.
I threw out my eyemakeup, having learned to keep a new set of sterile intact replacements handy. I always use a clean washcloth to clean my face. Every night. I buy the cheapest ones I can get that are white and bleach them, and no..not even bleach will get some of the makeup residue off the cloth...which begs the question..ewww...my skin ? I have been using a mineral makeup for about a year and a half and am quite pleased , so there are choices out there. I use cetaphil to cleanse and a good toner. I use a good eyecream and cetaphil as a moisture cream. I don't spend money on fancy shit. So why the hell was my left eye..only the left mind you swollen yesterday ? Not quite shut, but Jeebus....! SU could see the swelling without his glasses and he is truely blind as a bat. I look like I've been sucker punched. I'd use this as a joke at the office , except for :
1. Not Funny
2. Been there in real life aka marriage # 1.
3. See #'s 1 and 2.
People have been doing a double take at the office..hee hee...but they don't know what to say and for this bunch, that it odd in itself. I know many gals that go sans Max Factor and good for them. I am not one of them ...trust me here.
I feel Nekkid.
Please let the eye clear up. Failing that...any one know where I can get a good Parrothead Eye Patch ?
ISST
Have a good week, we all deserve it
One Eyed Aunty Pol....Arrrrr Matey
Monday, January 22, 2007
I need another weekend to recover from the weekend.
We had a great weekend at Casa de Swamp....but I need a weekend to recover . The old furniture got recycled to some young dude via freecycle so he is a happy camper . From what I gather the young dude is in his first place , ( Lordy Jeebus , I remember those days ) and is happy to get whatever he can. We are happy to have it gone, finding a new use and not filling up the area landfill with stuff that is still of some use. So there we were, eyeballing vast expanses of bare room and carpet....well hells bells..." Lets clean the carpeted areas that never see the light of day, ....aka the under the sofa parts. Wheeeeeee ! The NG's have a spotbot ( Gawd, I want one of my own...hint to thee El Hubbo) and so I used it and the Mega Monster and got all of that done. Then...we needed to unload the china hutch to make room for furniture inny's and outies. After the third cuppa..well hells bells, " Lets clean off the crystal stemware and polish the silver that is now covering the dining room table......lalalalalal . Done. There we sat on the outdoor chairs that were repositioned indoors , confusion reigned amongst the fur folk and hisself went back to watch goof. This was really a clever ploy to snag a nap. I am on to him. LOL. Doorbell. Huzzah..furniture ????????? Nopers..It's the lamps ! Wheeeeee ! " What do you mean
we are gonna wait to open them until the furniture arrives ??????????" I want to open the pretties NAOW ! Come on, I've been a really good girl waiting for the furniture....and ask anyone who knows me....I hate the hurry up and wait game..! After 30 minutes, I want to find a gun and play " Opps..there WAS one chambered. My bad." Finally furniture arrives. My beautiful chocolate brown microsuede sofa and paprika colored microsuede chair are here! And they are perfect ! And they work with the new area rug, drapes and lamps. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY JOY . We bask in the glory that is our new space, clean fresh carpet, shiney silver and crystal and warm, cozy new stuff . The kittehs are still trying to figure out where their old stuff is, and all twiterpated that we moved their stuff a bit. By 8:30 hisself was ZZZZZ 'g on the sofa and Moi decided...bed....warm water bed with kittehs..oh hell yeah. Me....8:30 on a Saturday night. Who'd athunk it ? Sunday was laundry and errands and such so I really do need another weekend.
In a side note..it's weird to wake up so early on the weekends. Nice, but weird. Still on the wagon, so it is what it is. Tried to get in touch with some friends but they were busy according to their blogs so I will try again later. Just because we don't yak a lot on a regular basis doesn't mean that we don't love and care about each other.
I will post news about Momma in law when I have some.
Have a GREAT week...we all deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
we are gonna wait to open them until the furniture arrives ??????????" I want to open the pretties NAOW ! Come on, I've been a really good girl waiting for the furniture....and ask anyone who knows me....I hate the hurry up and wait game..! After 30 minutes, I want to find a gun and play " Opps..there WAS one chambered. My bad." Finally furniture arrives. My beautiful chocolate brown microsuede sofa and paprika colored microsuede chair are here! And they are perfect ! And they work with the new area rug, drapes and lamps. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY JOY . We bask in the glory that is our new space, clean fresh carpet, shiney silver and crystal and warm, cozy new stuff . The kittehs are still trying to figure out where their old stuff is, and all twiterpated that we moved their stuff a bit. By 8:30 hisself was ZZZZZ 'g on the sofa and Moi decided...bed....warm water bed with kittehs..oh hell yeah. Me....8:30 on a Saturday night. Who'd athunk it ? Sunday was laundry and errands and such so I really do need another weekend.
In a side note..it's weird to wake up so early on the weekends. Nice, but weird. Still on the wagon, so it is what it is. Tried to get in touch with some friends but they were busy according to their blogs so I will try again later. Just because we don't yak a lot on a regular basis doesn't mean that we don't love and care about each other.
I will post news about Momma in law when I have some.
Have a GREAT week...we all deserve it.
Ciao,
Aunty Pol
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